A new smartphone device can
analyze a man’s sperm quality and let him know in a matter of minutes whether
he suffers from infertility, US researchers said Wednesday.
Infertility affects more than 45
million couples worldwide. Over 40 percent of fertility problems are due to
poor quality sperm.
The technology described in the
journal Science Translational Medicine aims to make it easier and cheaper for
men to test their sperm at home.
“We wanted to come up with a
solution to make male infertility testing as simple and affordable as home
pregnancy tests,” said co-author Hadi Shafiee, a doctor in the division of
engineering in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
“Men have to provide semen
samples in these rooms at a hospital, a situation in which they often
experience stress, embarrassment, pessimism and disappointment.”
The new test, however, “can
analyze a video of an undiluted, unwashed semen sample in less than five
seconds.”
It works by using a combination
of an optical attachment that can connect to a smartphone and a disposable
device for loading a semen sample, said the report.
Researchers tested the device
using 350 semen specimens at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility
Center.
The smartphone-based device
detected abnormal semen samples — based on World Health Organization thresholds
on sperm concentration and motility — with an accuracy of 98 percent.
The cost of the materials used to
assemble it came to $4.45.
“The ability to bring
point-of-care sperm testing to the consumer, or health facilities with limited
resources, is a true game changer,” said co-author John Petrozza, and director
of the MGH Fertility Center.
“This development will provide
faster and improved access to fertility care.”
The device is not yet available
to the public and is still in the prototype stage.
Researchers are planning
additional tests before filing for US Food and Drug Administration approval.
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