In an IVF procedure eggs are placed with prepared sperm in culture media within a laboratory dish. The sperm will naturally penetrate the egg leading to fertilization overnight. The resulting embryos will develop in an incubator for three to five days. The embryos are monitored by an embryologist and the best will be chosen for transfer to the womb. ICSI differs from IVF as each egg is individually injected with a single sperm, bypassing the stage where the sperm has to naturally penetrate the egg.
