The First Babies Conceived Using Robot-Assisted Sperm Injection Have Been Born. Experts believe this advanced process could significantly reduce the costs of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Two baby girls were born through robot-assisted conception. (Photo: Lingchor/Unsplash).
A team of engineers from Barcelona, Spain, employed a robotic needle to inject sperm cells into eggs at the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City, according to MIT Technology Review.
This procedure successfully created two healthy embryos, resulting in the birth of two baby girls.
“One of the engineers, who did not have a background in reproductive medicine, used a Sony PlayStation 5 controller to maneuver the robotic needle,” the report stated.
The breakthrough in reproductive technology involves the use of cameras and remote-controlled needles to penetrate and inject sperm into eggs on a petri dish.
MIT Technology Review noted that the outcome resulted in healthy embryos that led to the birth of two baby girls, marking them as the first babies conceived through robotic fertilization.
“It’s crazy, isn’t it?” one of the new parents exclaimed.
Experts say this advanced process could significantly lower the costs associated with in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Santiago Munné, a geneticist at the Spanish company Overture Life, which developed the sperm robot, indicated that this technology could one day eliminate the need for visits to fertility clinics, where an attempt at conception can cost up to $20,000.
“Imagine a box where the egg and sperm go in, and then an embryo is formed after five days,” he said.
