When IVF clinics inject sperm directly into an egg as a remedy for male infertility, they may be creating another generation of infertile men, warns the scientist who developed the technique. ICSI, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, is used in half of IVF in Britain and two-thirds in Europe.

Andre Van Steirteghem, of the Brussels Free University Centre for Reproductive Medicine, is the leader of a research team which developed ICSI nearly 20 years ago. But now he has some misgivings. At a meeting of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science in San Diego, he was asked whether we are creating a generation of children who are more likely to be infertile as a result of using IVF.  He told the media: “Well, yes, the answer to that is maybe yes. There are genetic causes of infertility that you can bypass with assisted reproductive technology, but that may mean that the next generation may be infertile as well. This is something that all clinics should mention to patients."

Other problems associated with ICSI have also emerged in recent  years.  A statistically significant number of children born from the technique have had health problems. Scientists have speculated that sperm which would normally not succeed in fertilizing an egg are responsible.

Nonetheless ICSI is becoming more popular, perhaps because IVF clinics are more confident that the technique will result in a baby for their clients. Prof Van Steirteghem said ruefully, "I have noticed from the beginning that several clinics use ICSI for everyone. I don't think it's necessary when you have methods like conventional IVF which is certainly less invasive, and can help couples with female factor or idiopathic (no known cause) infertility when the sperm count is normal. I don't see any reason why ICSI should be used in these situations. We have to see what will come out in the future, and long term follow up is extremely important, but yes, ICSI has been overused." ~ London Telegraph, Feb 22; Independent, Feb 22