Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1
    Dream Vet
    Hoping4Kaylani's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    2,245
    Post Thanks / Like
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Question on ICSI and Gender Split

    Hi... I seem to recall reading a post (though I cannot say who/when/where) in which a lady was told by her doctor that certain embryologists can tend to select for more healthy male sperm, or more healthy female sperm when doing ICSI. It wasn't that they could tell which sperm were male or female, but simply had something to do with the embryologist's opinion on which sperm looked best. Is there any truth to this?

    I plan to try IVF one last time for a DD after my DS3 is born, but after ending up with an all male split with my only cycle that produced viable embryos (3 healthy XY, 1 abnormal XY and 1 unknown), I fear the same will happen. My first cycle was 2 males and 1 unknown (all abnormal)... and could have been the same embryologist. Is this all just terrible luck?

    I know there are no guarantees, but what are the odds of all males again? Is there any point in asking which embryologists have had the most female offspring conceived?

    I appreciate your time and any feedback! Thank you.
    Me: 31 DH: 29 and our family: 2005 2011 2013 2016

    DOR at 0.15 AMH, AFC 8, FSH 8.1. Three fresh cycles and two donor embryo FET's we finally got our DD four years later. She completes us in a way I had only dreamed of.

  2. #2
    Dream User

    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    79
    Post Thanks / Like
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

  3. #3
    Dreamer

    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    587
    Post Thanks / Like
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    ...looks like the study from data only through 2007 did not say whether it included chromosome testing, how many embryos in each transfer and had more to do with live birth rates of male vs. female.The results could have something to do with the combination of ICSI and long term culture(day 5 transfers) combined. More research is needed on that one. Very interesting. I'm curious about how each embryologist chooses the "best" sperm for icsi also.
    8/2013

  4. #4
    IVF Advice Coach
    nuthinbutpink's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    The Internet
    Posts
    24,567
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    6
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    From years on forums, this study doesn't hold true IMO. It's usually a 50/50 split and this ONLY looked at babies BORN not what was there available for transfer on day 5. Not a study that means anything when you are able to know gender before transfer and choose which one to put back.
    Mom to

    and my IVF/PGD

    It's better to look back on life and say: "I can't believe I did that" than to look back and say "I wish I did that".

    New to IVF/PGD for Family Balancing? Read this- Understanding IVF/PGD- a HT Guide for those New to the IVF/PGD Process

    Need a Natural Swaying Plan? Naturally sway for a boy or a girl- Personalized Swaying Plans

    Become a Dream Member to access the private forums

  5. #5
    IVF Advice Coach
    nuthinbutpink's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    The Internet
    Posts
    24,567
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    6
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    This post- http://genderdreaming.com/forum/insi...ale-sperm.html

    Carole said ICSI doesn't affect the ratio. Have to be careful with interpreting studies. You can worry yourself silly.
    Mom to

    and my IVF/PGD

    It's better to look back on life and say: "I can't believe I did that" than to look back and say "I wish I did that".

    New to IVF/PGD for Family Balancing? Read this- Understanding IVF/PGD- a HT Guide for those New to the IVF/PGD Process

    Need a Natural Swaying Plan? Naturally sway for a boy or a girl- Personalized Swaying Plans

    Become a Dream Member to access the private forums

  6. #6
    Dreamer

    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    183
    Post Thanks / Like
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by nuthinbutpink View Post
    This post- http://genderdreaming.com/forum/insi...ale-sperm.html

    Carole said ICSI doesn't affect the ratio. Have to be careful with interpreting studies. You can worry yourself silly.
    I looked at the studies on gender and ICSI and there's not a lot of data and some studies show a skew toward female, others toward male so if I don't think we can say whether we know if there is an effect or not- and in which direction we have the effect. More importantly, if you wanted to select a technique to try to make one gender more or less likely, this would be a very ineffective technique since the skew is usually just a little bit off from 50:50. PGS of embryos to determine gender is still the only nearly 100% means to select gender. Unless the test results were mixed up or the wrong embryo transferred, PGS lets you choose gender reliably.

    As to how embryologists select sperm, we are looking for a normal appearance and some sign of life, that's all. There is no indication for gender by appearance. If normally looking or more active sperm are more likely one gender, we might accidently be selecting for gender but I think it would be more obvious in our clinic outcomes. Hope this helps, Carole

  7. #7
    Dream Vet
    Throwaway_panther's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    U.S.
    Posts
    2,224
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    2
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Is it still true that ICSI is 50/50? I just came across the ICSI studies saying more girls and every clinic we'd possibly go ok ONLY does ICSI -- but I want a boy! DH's sperm would need a wash anyway because of some abnormal issues on his part, so not sure pushing for traditional fertilization would help us anyway.

  8. #8
    Moderator
    nicoler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    2,191
    Post Thanks / Like
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    It is truly 50/50. With my first cycle 3/4 embryos were male and with my second cycle 6/9 embryos were female. And I have 2 boys I conceived naturally. Any given cycle can produce a skewed outcome but it's just coincidence. If you have enough embryos it really does even out.

    I used to work as an embryologist and as far as I'm aware, ICSI is always done on a PGS cycle. It's done to maximize fertilization rate, ensure normal fertilization (ie. more than one sperm doesn't enter an egg), and allows all fertilization to happen at a similar time so that most embryos will be ready for biopsy at the same time. Also, all sperm (whether it's absolutely perfect or not), undergoes a couple washes and dilutions prior to being used for ivf (icsi or tradional fert).

    Please don't worry that ivf or icsi or any other part of the HT process sways. It doesn't. Gender split comes down to luck and you have zero influence over it.
    Last edited by nicoler; November 20th, 2017 at 11:23 AM.
    (2010) (2013 LE sway opposite) HT (HRC 2018)

    Cycle 1 HRC Nov 2015: 9 retrieved, 6 mature, 5 fertilized, 4 biopsied, 2 normal XY = NT
    Cycle 2 HRC Mar 2016: 13 retrieved, 12 mature, 11 fertilized, 9 biopsied, 6 normal = 5 XX, 1 XY!
    FET #1 Aug 2016: Chemical
    FET #2 Nov 2016 Immune protocol: BFP! HB at 7 and 10 weeks. No HB at 12 weeks Miscarriage.
    FET #3 Aug 2017 Immune protocol: BFP!
    arrived May 2018

  9. Thanks Throwaway_panther thanked for this post
    Likes atomic sagebrush liked this post

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •