Question

In the case of a couple, where man is having very low sperm count, which of the following techniques will be most suitable for fertilization?
(a) Intrauterine transform
(b) In gamete intra cytoplasmic fallopian transfer
(c) Artificial insemination
(d) Intra cytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)

Answer 1

Semen of a fertile male is 2.5-5 ml per ejaculation with a sperm count of over 200-300million, mostly motile, having proper fructose content and fluidity which is deposited high in the vagina. Any defect in sperm count, structure, motility of seminal fluid leads to infertility.

Complete answer:
To find the above answer, we will understand each of the options in detail.
Intrauterine transform: When the ova from the mother or donor and sperm from husband or donor are collected, it is induced to form zygote under simulated conditions in the laboratory. When this zygote turns into an embryo with more than 8 blastomeres it is introduced into the uterine to complete its further development. Here the role of the female body is important.
In gamete intra cytoplasmic fallopian transfer: It is also known as GIFT. The transfer of an ovum collected from a donor into the fallopian tube of another female who cannot produce one, but can provide a suitable environment for fertilisation and further development.
Artificial insemination: if the infertility of male is either due to inability of male partner to achieve an erection of penis to inseminate the female or due to very low sperm count in the semen it is corrected by artificial insemination(AI).
Intra cytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI): If one of the partner's sperm is placed inside the egg with a microscopic needle, rather than many sperms positioned close to the outside of the egg as in IVF, in a dish in a lab. Once fertilisation occurs, the resulting embryo is placed in the uterus.

Therefore, it's clearer that option (d), is the correct answer. Which is, Intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Note: low sperm count is called oligospermia while near absence of sperm is known as Azoospermia. Low sperm motility is called asthenozoospermia while defective sperm morphology is termed as teratozoospermia.