AI-Powered STAR System Achieves First Successful Pregnancy in Severe Male Infertility Case

Columbia researchers report first successful pregnancy using AI-guided sperm recovery method

Columbia University Irving Medical CenterOct 31 2025 Researchers at the Columbia University Fertility Center reported the first successful pregnancy using an AI-guided method they developed to recover sperm in men with azoospermia, in which ejaculate contains little or no sperm. The case is described in a research letter published in The Lancet. Male factors account for approximately 40% of couples with infertility. Of those, about 10-15% of men with infertility have azoospermia. A semen sample can appear totally normal, but when you look under the microscope you discover just a sea of cellular debris, with no sperm visible. Many couples with male-factor infertility are told they have little chance of having a biological child." Zev Williams, senior author of the paper and Director of the Columbia University Fertility Center Men with azoospermia may undergo a procedure to have sperm surgically extracted from the testes, but the procedure is often unsuccessful and can cause vascular problems, inflammation, or a temporary decrease in testosterone levels. A few specialized labs employ technicians to manually inspect semen samples - a lengthy and expensive process - after they have been processed with a centrifuge or other agents that can damage sperm. "The field has really been challenged to find a better way to identify and retrieve viable sperm cells in men with exceedingly low sperm counts," Williams says. A STAR is born Williams assembled a team of researchers and clinicians to develop a new method that combines a variety of technologies to identify and retrieve rare sperm cells from men with azoospermia. "Our team included experts in advanced imaging techniques, microfluidics, and reproductive endocrinology to tackle each individual step required to find and isolate rare sperm," says Hemant Suryawanshi, an assistant professor of reproductive sciences at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and project leader. The STAR (Sperm Tracking and Recovery) method, unveiled earlier this year, employs high-powered imaging technology to scan through a semen sample from men with azoospermia, taking over 8 million images in under an hour. AI is used to identify sperm cells in the sample, and a microfluidic chip with tiny, hair-like channels isolates the portion of the semen sample containing the sperm cell. Within milliseconds, a robot gently removes the sperm cell so that it can be used to create an embryo or frozen and stored for future use. First successful pregnancy using STAR STAR was tested in a patient that had been trying to start a family for nearly 20 years, including multiple IVF cycles at other centers, several manual sperm searches, and two surgical procedures to extract sperm. The patient provided a 3.5 mL semen sample. In about two hours, STAR scanned 2.5 million images, identifying 2 viable sperm cells, which were then used to create two embryos and start a pregnancy. The findings, though based on one case, show the feasibility of this technology to overcome long-standing barriers in helping men with azoospermia. "You only need one healthy sperm to create an embryo," Williams says. Larger clinical studies are underway to evaluate the efficacy of STAR in broader patient populations. Columbia University Irving Medical Center Journal reference: Suryawanshi, H., et al. (2025). First clinical pregnancy following AI-based microfluidic sperm detection and recovery in non-obstructive azoospermia. The Lancet. doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01623-X

Couple conceive with the help of an AI-guided sperm recovery method

After trying to start a family for nearly two decades, a couple has conceived with the help of researchers at the Columbia University Fertility Center. The case is described in a research letter published in The Lancet. It reports the first successful pregnancy using an AI-guided method developed to recover sperm in men with azoospermia, in which ejaculate contains little or no sperm. Male factors account for approximately 40% of couples with infertility. Of those, about 10-15% of men with infertility have azoospermia. "A semen sample can appear totally normal, but when you look under the microscope you discover just a sea of cellular debris, with no sperm visible," says Zev Williams, senior author of the paper and Director of the Columbia University Fertility Center. "Many couples with male-factor infertility are told they have little chance of having a biological child." Men with azoospermia may undergo a procedure to have sperm surgically extracted from the testes, but the procedure is often unsuccessful and can cause vascular problems, inflammation, or a temporary decrease in testosterone levels. A few specialized labs employ technicians to manually inspect semen samples -- a lengthy and expensive process -- after they have been processed with a centrifuge or other agents that can damage sperm. "The field has really been challenged to find a better way to identify and retrieve viable sperm cells in men with exceedingly low sperm counts," Williams says. A STAR is born Williams assembled a team of researchers and clinicians to develop a new method that combines a variety of technologies to identify and retrieve rare sperm cells from men with azoospermia. "Our team included experts in advanced imaging techniques, microfluidics, and reproductive endocrinology to tackle each individual step required to find and isolate rare sperm," says Hemant Suryawanshi, an assistant professor of reproductive sciences at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and project leader. The STAR (Sperm Tracking and Recovery) method, unveiled earlier this year, employs high-powered imaging technology to scan through a semen sample from men with azoospermia, taking over 8 million images in under an hour. AI is used to identify sperm cells in the sample, and a microfluidic chip with tiny, hair-like channels isolates the portion of the semen sample containing the sperm cell. Within milliseconds, a robot gently removes the sperm cell so that it can be used to create an embryo or frozen and stored for future use. First successful pregnancy using STAR STAR was tested in a patient that had been trying to start a family for nearly 20 years, including multiple IVF cycles at other centers, several manual sperm searches, and two surgical procedures to extract sperm. The patient provided a 3.5 mL semen sample. In about two hours, STAR scanned 2.5 million images, identifying two viable sperm cells, which were then used to create two embryos and start a pregnancy. The findings, though based on one case, show the feasibility of this technology to overcome long-standing barriers in helping men with azoospermia. "You only need one healthy sperm to create an embryo," Williams says. Larger clinical studies are underway to evaluate the efficacy of STAR in broader patient populations.

AI-Guided Sperm Analysis Results In First Successful Pregnancy

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Nov. 5, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- The first successful pregnancy has occurred using sperm gathered with advanced artificial intelligence (AI), researchers say. The fertility team used AI to scan the male partner's semen sample for two viable sperm, which were then used to create two embryos and start a pregnancy, researchers recently reported in The Lancet. The couple had been trying to start a family for nearly 20 years, but the man's low sperm count had thwarted their efforts, researchers said. This new technique could help other infertile couples in which the male suffers from azoospermia, in which their ejaculate contains little to no sperm, researchers said. "A semen sample can appear totally normal, but when you look under the microscope you discover just a sea of cellular debris, with no sperm visible," senior researcher Dr. Zev Williams, director of the Columbia University Fertility Center, said in a news release. Male factors account for about 40% of couples with infertility, and of those as many as 15% of men have azoospermia, researchers said. "Many couples with male-factor infertility are told they have little chance of having a biological child," Williams said. However, "you only need one healthy sperm to create an embryo," Williams added. The new process, called STAR (Sperm Tracking and Recovery), uses high-powered imaging technology to scan through a semen sample, taking more than 8 million images in under an hour, researchers said. AI identifies sperm cells in the sample, and robotics are used to capture and gently remove them. This process could replace procedures in which sperm is surgically extracted from a man's testes, or in which a lab tech painstakingly inspects semen samples manually to find and catch viable sperm, researchers said. "The field has really been challenged to find a better way to identify and retrieve viable sperm cells in men with exceedingly low sperm counts," Williams said. The first couple to use the STAR method to get pregnant already had been through multiple unsuccessful IVF cycles, as well as several manual sperm searches and two surgical sperm extractions, researchers said. The man provided a 3.5 milliliter semen sample, and within two hours the STAR system had identified two viable sperm cells out of 2.5 million images. Larger clinical trials are now underway to evaluate the STAR method's effectiveness among more patients, researchers said. More information The Cleveland Clinic has more on azoospermia. SOURCE: Columbia University, news release, Oct. 31, 2025

How AI helped an infertile couple conceive after 19 years with just '2 sperm'

The breakthrough, achieved using a new system called STAR (Sperm Tracking and Recovery), offers fresh hope for men with severe infertility where sperm is almost invisible in lab tests. It also highlights how AI is stepping into fertility treatment in an unusual yet promising way. In a medical first, an artificial intelligence system scanned 25 lakh images from a semen sample for over two hours and picked out just two healthy sperm cells, helping a US couple conceive after 19 years of trying, a report in The Lancet said. The couple, aged 39 and 37, had earlier undergone multiple IVF cycles and surgeries without success. The STAR system uses high-powered imaging and artificial intelligence to scan semen samples at high speed. In this case, it analysed over 2.5 million images in two hours to locate seven sperm cells, including two viable ones. "A semen sample can appear totally normal, but when you look under the microscope you discover just a sea of cellular debris, with no sperm visible," said Zev Williams, director of the Columbia University Fertility Center. Also Read: Man leaves stable 9-5 corporate job with ₹1 lakh salary, now earns double from Airbnb bookings He added, "Many couples with male-factor infertility are told they have little chance of having a biological child." Men with azoospermia, a condition where semen has no visible sperm, usually have to undergo surgery to extract sperm from the testes. But these procedures often fail and carry risks like inflammation or falling testosterone. The STAR method aims to avoid surgery by spotting rare sperm directly in the ejaculate using AI and tiny microchannels that separate them from debris. A robot then plucks the sperm to be used in IVF. A 3.5 ml semen sample from the man was processed through the STAR system. "Manual slide-based examination revealed no sperm," the authors wrote. "In contrast, the STAR system analysed 2.5 million images in approximately 2 hours and detected seven sperm cells: two motile and five non-motile," they said. The two mobile sperm were injected into eggs, leading to embryo formation. Those embryos were transferred, and 13 days later, the woman got her first-ever positive pregnancy test. Also Read: Bengaluru techie throws chilly powder, kills manager with dumbbell after argument over switching off office lights An eight-week ultrasound confirmed a heartbeat of 172 beats per minute, the report added. Researchers say this success is from one case, but larger trials are already underway to test STAR in more patients. If proven at scale, the method could change treatment for couples dealing with extreme male infertility -- and possibly reduce the need for surgical sperm extraction. Also Read: 'They didn't just lift the trophy': Anand Mahindra explains what India's Women's 'Chak De' World Cup 2025 win really means (Source: PTI) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)