ISLAMABAD: After nearly two decades of unsuccessful attempts, a couple is now expecting their first child, thanks to the assistance of artificial intelligence.
According to a report published by CNN, the couple had undergone multiple rounds of in vitro fertilisation (IVF), visiting fertility clinics around the globe in the hope of having a baby.
IVF attempts
IVF involves retrieving a woman’s egg and fertilising it with sperm in a laboratory to create an embryo, which is then implanted into the uterus.
However, their IVF attempts had repeatedly failed due to azoospermia — a rare condition in which no detectable sperm are present in the male partner’s semen. While a typical semen sample contains hundreds of millions of sperm, azoospermic men have such low counts that even hours of microscopic examination reveal no sperm cells.
STAR method
In a final effort, the couple — who have chosen to remain anonymous for privacy reasons — turned to the Columbia University Fertility Center to try an innovative new technique.
The approach, known as the STAR method, uses AI to locate and retrieve hidden sperm in men who were previously thought to have none. All the husband needed to do was provide a semen sample to the medical team.
“After so many setbacks, we kept our hopes low,” the wife said, according to CNN.
Researchers at the clinic analysed the sample using the AI system and successfully located three hidden sperm, which were then used to fertilise the wife’s eggs through IVF. This led to the first known pregnancy achieved using the STAR method.
The baby is due in December.
