AI makes pregnancy possible for a couple after 18 years of infertility
STAR method
identified hidden sperm cells once thought undetectable. Those few sperm were used to fertilize eggs, leading to a successful
pregnancy
. The couple's baby is due in December.
How AI turned infertility into pregnancy
Artificial intelligence is now playing a game-changing role in fertility care. In this case, it enabled a successful pregnancy by detecting hidden sperm in a sample previously deemed sterile. Using a technique known as the STAR method—short for Sperm Tracking and Recovery—AI scanned the semen sample with unprecedented precision, uncovering three viable sperm cells. These were used in IVF, leading to the couple's first pregnancy after 18 years of failed attempts and heartbreak.
Azoospermia affects about 10% of men with infertility and is often a devastating diagnosis. Unlike other forms of male infertility, azoospermia shows no outward symptoms. The semen appears normal, but under a microscope, there are no sperm to be found—only debris and fragments. Traditional treatment options include invasive surgery to extract sperm directly from the testes, a painful and often fruitless procedure. For years, this left couples with few alternatives beyond donor sperm or adoption.
The STAR system: high-speed imaging meets AI
Developed at Columbia University over five years, the STAR system uses AI-powered high-speed imaging to analyze semen samples. It captures over 8 million images in under an hour to locate viable sperm. Once detected, the sperm are gently isolated for use in IVF. In a previous trial, the STAR system found 44 sperm in a sample that had already been examined and deemed infertile by human embryologists—demonstrating its unmatched accuracy.
Hope for couples around the world
The couple who conceived using STAR's AI-assisted method are the first documented case of pregnancy resulting from sperm identified by this technology alone. 'It still doesn't feel real,' the wife said. 'After all the failures, I never thought I'd see a positive pregnancy scan.' Their story is now inspiring others who face similar fertility struggles, offering a glimpse of what may soon be a global breakthrough in reproductive medicine.
The future of AI in fertility care
Experts believe AI will continue to revolutionize reproductive health by improving diagnosis, guiding embryo selection, and personalizing IVF treatments. Tools like STAR are already showing that AI can amplify, not replace, human expertise—making processes faster, safer, and more precise. While costs for the STAR procedure remain under $3,000, researchers hope to expand access and bring this promising innovation to fertility clinics worldwide.
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