This case involves a male partner with low sperm count and poor motility. Let’s see why MACs and PICSI are recommended to improve sperm quality.
What is MACs Sperm (Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting)?
MACs is a sperm selection technique that uses a magnetic field to separate healthy, high-quality sperm from damaged or apoptotic sperm. It’s especially useful in men with high sperm DNA fragmentation or couples struggling with infertility.
How MACs Works:
- Magnetic nano-beads are coated with a special antibody that binds to damaged sperm.
- When mixed, these beads attach to sperm with compromised DNA.
- The sperm sample is then passed through a magnetic column (MACs device).
Damaged sperm with magnetic beads are retained, while healthy, DNA-intact sperm pass through and are collected.
Who Should Consider MACs Sperm:
- Men with high DNA fragmentation (DFI)
- Men with poor semen quality
- Older men (advanced paternal age)
- Couples with unexplained infertility
- Couples who have failed IVF or ICSI cycles in the past
Benefits of MACs:
- Increases the selection of sperm with intact DNA
- Improves fertilization and embryo quality
- Reduces miscarriage risk
- Enhances embryo implantation
- Boosts pregnancy rates, especially in previously failed cycles
What is PICSI (Physiological ICSI)?
PICSI is a technique designed to select the best-quality sperm by mimicking natural sperm-egg interaction. It helps embryologists pick mature and genetically healthier sperm for ICSI.
How PICSI Works:
- A culture dish is coated with hyaluronic acid (HA), a natural substance found in the outer layer of the egg.
- A drop of sperm sample is added to the dish.
- Only mature, structurally sound, and DNA-intact sperm will bind to the HA.
- These selected sperm are then used for the ICSI procedure.
Who Should Consider PICSI:
- Men with abnormal sperm shape or motility
- Couples who had multiple failed ICSI attempts
- Couples with recurrent miscarriage
- Couples with poor-quality embryos in previous IVF/ICSI cycles
Why Use Both MACs + PICSI?
Using both MACs and PICSI allows for double selection:
- MACs removes apoptotic or DNA-damaged sperm.
- PICSI selects the most mature, functionally competent sperm.
Together, these techniques greatly enhance the chances of successful fertilization, healthy embryo development, and ultimately a higher pregnancy rate — especially in cases where male factor infertility plays a major role.
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