In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Microsurgical Sperm Aspiration (MESA)

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an assisted reproductive technology (ART). It involves combining eggs and sperm in a laboratory to help the eggs fertilize. Fertilized eggs, also called embryos, are then transferred to the woman’s uterus in hopes that they will implant and grow into a pregnancy.

For men with azoospermia caused by vasal blockage (s/p vasectomy or congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens), microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration is an excellent procedure to retrieve sperm. This is done under local anesthesia in our office or the operating room and can be coordinated with your female partner’s egg retrieval.

During MESA, the doctor inserts a small needle into the scrotum and aspirates the fluid from the epididymis. This enables us to recover a high percentage of motile sperm. These sperm are cryopreserved for future use in IVF or ICSI.

MESA is the gold standard technique for sperm retrieval in men with obstructive azoospermia, given its high yield of sperm and excellent reported fertilization and pregnancy rates. MESA can be performed under local anesthesia in our office and requires a very small incision of the scrotum.

IVF is a more extensive form of ART and involves controlled ovarian hyperstimulation to increase the number of eggs that are retrieved, fertilization of those eggs in the lab, and the transfer of fertilized eggs to the woman’s uterus. Using donated eggs or sperm, gestational surrogacy and embryo adoption are also options for couples who wish to conceive a biological child. in vitro fertilization mesa