Check the quality of sperm without getting out of bed!

Dutch researcher Loes Segerink from the University of Twente, working under the guidance of Professor Albert van den Berg, has developed a chip to test the ability to fertilize, allowing a high degree of accuracy to determine the concentration of sperm motility.

The new compact chip for single use will allow men at home to determine two main indicators used to determine the quality of sperm and, accordingly, the ability to conceive: sperm motility and their concentration, which, according to existing standards, should not be lower than 20 million per 1 ml of ejaculate.

After entering the chip, the ejaculate moves along a fluid-filled tubule passing under the electrode "bridges". Passing under one of the electrodes, the cell causes a short-term change in electrical resistance. Such events are registered by a counter. At the same time, the sensitivity of the chip is so high that it allows you to separately count the number of leukocytes contained in the ejaculate. This additional information can serve doctors well.

A small modification that allows separating motile spermatozoa from motionless ones, followed by counting the number of each of their populations, made the chip a full-fledged test for the quality of sperm. Experts believe that its use at home, not associated with the stress accompanying a visit to a medical institution, should significantly increase the chance of correctly diagnosing the cause of infertility.

Sedgerik, whose doctoral dissertation is scheduled for November 4, 2011, has already received a grant, which is the first step towards creating a company and turning the development into a commercial product.

Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the University of Twente: Fertility chip' determines concentration and motility of semen.

02.11.2011