A couple who had been trying to have a baby for 18 years has finally achieved pregnancy, thanks to the help of artificial intelligence (AI). According to a report by CNN, the couple had tried many times using in vitro fertilisation (IVF) around the world, but none of the treatments were successful.

The reason for the repeated failures was azoospermia, a rare condition in which there are no visible sperm in the male partner’s semen. Usually, healthy semen contains millions of sperm per millilitre, but in this case, none could be found.

After trying everything, the couple went to the Columbia University Fertility Centre (CUFC) in the United States. There, doctors tried a new AI-powered technology known as the STAR (Sperm Tracking and Recovery) method. This method was developed to find hidden sperm in semen samples, even in cases where none seem to be present.

AI spots hidden sperm in one hour

The fertility centre’s team used the STAR system to examine the man’s semen. To their surprise, it worked. The hidden sperm was found using AI, and doctors were then able to use it for IVF. The egg was fertilised successfully, and the woman became pregnant—the first-ever case where the STAR method led to conception.

"It took me two days to believe I was actually pregnant," the woman said. "I still wake up in the morning and can't believe if this is true or not. I still won't believe I am pregnant until I see the scans."

Dr. Zev Williams, director of CUFC and lead researcher, said the STAR method was developed over five years. He shared how amazing the results were. "A patient provided a sample, and highly skilled technicians looked for two days through that sample to try to find sperm. They didn't find any. We brought it to the AI-based STAR System. In one hour, it found 44 sperm. So right then, we realised, 'Wow, this is really a game-changer. This is going to make such a big difference for patients,'" said Dr. Williams.

How the STAR system works

The STAR system works by placing a semen sample on a special chip under a microscope. Then, high-powered imaging takes over eight million pictures of the sample in less than an hour. AI, trained to detect sperm cells, scans all those images and spots the sperm that humans often miss.

This major breakthrough has brought hope to many couples struggling with male infertility.

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