Infertility can partly be caused by sperm that are not strong enough to swim their way to the egg.
In England, scientists have developed a new method to assess the agility of sperm, which can be performed at home.
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| Helps identify if infertility is due to weak sperm… Image: sperm searching for egg |
The testing method is represented by an “obstacle course” that mimics the environment of a woman’s cervix. The sperm must navigate through this “barrier” to reach the egg.
After about an hour, the time needed for the sperm to “race,” a special device allows men to count how many sperm successfully pass through the “barrier.” A high number of sperm that manage to get through the “barrier” will trigger a red line to appear, indicating a good test result, suggesting that sperm quality is not an obstacle to conception.
Researcher Chris Barratt and his colleagues tested this method with semen from 150 men and reported results with 95% accuracy. Couples can quickly determine whether infertility is due to weak sperm.
Previously, couples typically had to wait at least a year of trying to conceive before doctors would conduct sperm tests in hospitals or specialized clinics, even with the support of advanced medical technology.
Furthermore, as couples age, their chances of conceiving decrease, making it increasingly important to identify sperm health as early as possible in order to find effective treatments for infertility.
