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Fertility Treatment

Conceiving with ICSI

Maximise your chances of conceiving with ICSI treatment at our leading fertility clinic. Our experienced specialists utilise state-of-the-art equipment and personalised protocols to help you achieve your dream of parenthood.

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No long waiting times

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In-house lab

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Holistic care

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Transparent costs

Understanding ICSI

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a special form of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). In ICSI, a single sperm is injected directly into the egg in the laboratory to fertilise it.

The fertilised eggs are cultured in an incubator for up to six days to develop into embryos. The best developed embryo is then implanted into the womb. Surplus embryos can be frozen for further attempts (cryopreservation).

Why should you choose ICSI?

There are many reasons why couples opt for ICSI treatment. The experts at Cada can help you understand the underlying causes and choose the right treatment plan for you.

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Male fertility issues

Reduced sperm quality or a lack of sperm may affect fertility and require ICSI.

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Low fertilisation rate in an IVF cycle

If you've had several unsuccessful IVF cycles, ICSI may be a viable option to increase the fertilisation rate and the chances of pregnancy.

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Use of frozen eggs

When using cryopreserved eggs from a social freezing cycle, the eggs are fertilised using ICSI.

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Benefits of ICSI Treatment at Cada

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Everything under one roof

At Cada, treatment and analyses are carried out by all medical specialists in one place.

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Transparent costs

All medication for your treatment, hormone stimulation and check-in visits in the clinic or practice are already included in the price.

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Easy-to-follow & digital process

You can view all test results and follow-up appointments transparently at any time in the Cada app.

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Step-by-Step ICSI Treatment Guide

An ICSI cycle at Cada typically includes 5 appointments, lasting between 30 minutes and 3 hours (for the follicle puncture). During these appointments, our experts take the time to support you and guide you step by step through your treatment.

Visit 1

Kick-Off & Start of Stimulation

The Kick-Off marks the start of ICSI treatment with the female's stimulation therapy. During this stage, each step is thoroughly explained and the necessary medications are provided.

Visit 2

Check-In

Follicle maturation is monitored through ultrasound and blood hormone levels. Once the follicles and uterine lining have developed well, the final egg maturation is triggered, and the date for the follicle retrieval is scheduled.

Visit 3

Follicle Puncture

Shortly before the expected ovulation, egg retrieval (follicular puncture) is performed as an outpatient procedure under brief anesthesia. The retrieved eggs are then analysed in the laboratory. On the same day, the male partner provides a sperm sample. In the IVF laboratory, a single sperm is injected into each mature egg to fertilise it.

Visit 4

Embryo Transfer

Five days after fertilisation, the embryo is transferred to the woman's uterus under ultrasound guidance. This procedure does not require anesthesia. Additionally, all necessary medications leading up to the pregnancy test are thoroughly discussed.

Visit 5

Pregnancy Test

Cada's medical experts utilise a highly accurate, blood-based pregnancy test to confirm pregnancy

Your personalised treatment process in the app

Stay informed and connected with the Cada app. Access your results, manage appointments, and learn more about IVF through helpful videos and articles. You can even reach out to your doctors directly.

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Real-Time Medical Results

Track your laboratory results and get clear interpretations of your values.

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Full Transparency

Gain digital access to every stage of your personalised treatment.

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Expert Support

Reach out to your doctors directly via the app for tailored advice.

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Data Protection

Your information is secure and treated with the utmost confidentiality.

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Cada App Fertility Test Results

Our Locations

At the modern Cada Clinic, you can expect advanced fertility treatments such as IVF, ICSI and social freezing in a peaceful atmosphere directly on Lake Zurich.

Dr. med. Michael Jemec

Dr. med. Michael Jemec

Cada Clinics Lead

Cada Klinik

Telephone: +41 44 505 14 44

Email: [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Discover answers to the most common queries about IVF here. Should your question remain unresolved, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly.

What does the abbreviation ICSI stand for?

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ICSI stands for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. This fertility treatment involves injecting a single sperm directly into an egg's cytoplasm (the inner part of the egg).

What is the difference between IVF and ICSI?

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Both ICSI and IVF are assisted reproductive technologies used to help fertilise an egg outside the body. The key difference lies in how fertilisation happens. In IVF, eggs and sperm are simply mixed together in a dish, allowing fertilisation to occur naturally. ICSI takes a more direct approach: a single sperm is carefully injected into an egg using a microscopic needle.

How frequent is ICSI performed?

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ICSI has become the most common method of assisted reproduction in Switzerland. It is even performed more frequently than conventional IVF. Precise figures on the frequency of ICSI treatments are difficult to find, as not all clinics and centers report their data centrally.

Experts estimate that ICSI is used in about 70-80% of IVF cycles.

When is ICSI treatment performed?

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ICSI treatment can be useful in various situations, especially in the following cases:

  • Male infertility: If the man has a low sperm count (oligospermia), poor sperm motility (asthenozoospermia), abnormal sperm morphology (teratozoospermia), or a combination of these factors (OAT syndrome), ICSI can increase the chance of pregnancy. If there are no sperm in the ejaculate (azoospermia), they can be extracted from the testicles through a minor surgical procedure (TESE).
  • Impaired egg quality: If the eggs have a thickened outer shell (zona pellucida), sperm may not be able to penetrate on their own. In this case, ICSI can help.
  • After unsuccessful IVF attempts: If several IVF attempts have been unsuccessful, ICSI may be an alternative.
  • Use of cryopreserved eggs: When using frozen eggs, ICSI is the method of choice, as the outer shell of the egg has been removed.
  • Polar body diagnosis (PBD): If a genetic examination of the egg (polar body diagnosis) is to be carried out, ICSI is necessary.

What are the success rates of ICSI?

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The success rates of ICSI per treatment cycle are on average 30-40%, depending on various factors such as the woman's age, the cause of infertility, the number of fertilised eggs and the quality of the embryos.

What does ICSI cost?

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The costs for ICSI treatment in Switzerland are generally between CHF 7,000 and CHF 9,000 per cycle, depending on the medication required and additional services (e.g., PGD or assisted hatching). At Cada, the costs for ICSI, including medication, are between CHF 7,100 and CHF 7,800.

What is the risk of multiple pregnancies?

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Since we only transfer one embryo at Cada (Single Embryo Transfer, SET), the risk of a multiple pregnancy is significantly reduced and is about 1%.

Is the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the child increased with ICSI?

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The risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the child is not fundamentally increased with ICSI. However, there are some studies that suggest that the risk of certain rare genetic defects may be minimally increased.

Do I need to take medication before ICSI?

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Yes, medication is usually required before ICSI treatment. However, an exception is IVF or ICSI in the natural cycle, where no hormones are used.

The aim of hormonal stimulation is to stimulate the growth of several egg follicles in the ovaries in order to obtain several mature eggs for fertilisation. Various medications are used for this purpose, which contain hormones or influence their production:

  • GnRH analogues suppress the body's own hormone production in the pituitary gland to prevent premature ovulation.
  • Gonadotropins contain hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and/or human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG)) that stimulate the growth of follicles in the ovaries.
  • hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is used for egg maturation when the follicles have reached a certain size. It is administered once as an injection.

After the embryo transfer, progesterone is used to support the implantation of the embryo in the uterine lining. It is usually administered in the form of vaginal tablets or capsules.

How many ICSI attempts are typically needed to achieve pregnancy?

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The number of ICSI attempts needed varies greatly from person to person and depends on several factors, such as the woman's age, the cause of infertility, and the quality of the embryos. Some women become pregnant on the first attempt, while others need several attempts.

What is the duration of the ICSI process?

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An ICSI treatment takes about 4-6 weeks in total, depending on the treatment protocol and individual requirements.

Schedule your consultation now

During a personalised initial consultation, we take the time to comprehend your needs and offer informed advice on your available options.

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