POSED BY MODEL. In vitro fertilisation. Doctor using a microscope to inject a human spermatozoan (sperm) into an egg during in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The procedure can be seen magnified on the monitor at centre left. The egg cell, which is held in place by the tip of a pipette (far left), has been pierced by a microneedle. This procedure is known as ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). In vitro fertilisation is a method of artificially fertilising an egg. It is carried out when a couple cannot conceive naturally. It is common for several fertilised eggs to be introduced into the uterus, as there is a high rate of early miscarriage.