v     Antibody Studies: Sometimes substances produced by the body prevent the normal function of the sperm so they cannot reach and penetrate the egg. There are a variety of antibody studies performed. They may require blood from both the male and the female, cervical mucus from the female, or seminal fluid from the male.

v     Sperm Penetration Assay (Hamster Egg Test): For this test, sperm from the semen of the male partner is compared with the ability of normal donor sperm to penetrate specially prepared eggs from hamsters. This is a particularly sophisticated and expensive test. The results take approximately three days. When the test is repetitively abnormal, it suggests the inability of sperm to penetrate human eggs and may explain otherwise unexplained infertility.

v     Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) enables men with poor sperm quality to father children. It is used in some cases of unexplained infertility and can also be used for older couples. In the ICSI procedure, a microscopic hole is placed in the egg membrane with an instrument that resembles a syringe. A single sperm from the father is drawn into the “syringe” and inserted into the egg.

There is no difference between the offspring produced by ICSI and those conceived by other methods. There is now broad, successful, clinical experience with hundreds of ICSI patients and their children. Embryologists receive advanced training to enable them to perform this delicate procedure.

ICSI is used when the male has very low sperm count. Even in men with no sperm seen at the time of semen analysis, there may be sperm within the testes. This sperm can be removed by aspiration from the epididymis or testes in procedures called TESE (testicular sperm extraction) or MESA (microscopic epididymal sperm aspiration). TESE and MESA procedures combined with ICSI allow many men, previously considered sterile, to produce children.

v     Vasectomy Reversals/Sperm Freezing: The Reproductive Medicine Group offers their patients the option of freezing their sperm at the time of a scheduled vasectomy reversal. The frozen sample is sent to an approved storage facility. The Reproductive Medicine Group is the only facility in the Tampa Bay area to offer this service. By freezing the sample, the patient is assured that the specimen is available for future use in the event that the vasectomy reversal was not successful.

The Reproductive Medicine Group is pleased to announce affiliation with Dr. Howard Heidenberg, a board certified urologist with specialized training in male infertility. He trained at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and operates a private practice in Tampa. In addition to general urology, Dr. Heidenberg is trained in the evaluation and treatment of male infertility including: vasectomy reversal, varicocele repair, and testicular biopsy and aspiration procedures for TESE and MESA.