A couple in New York had been trying to have a baby for nearly 20 years. They went through 15 IVF cycles, and surgeries, and consulted top fertility experts across the world. But nothing worked. Doctors told them the chances of having a biological child were almost zero.
The problem was with the husband as he had a rare condition called azoospermia, where no sperm was found in the semen. This makes it nearly impossible to conceive naturally.
But as truly said and believed, ‘if there’s a will, there’s a way,’ due to a new AI-based technology, the couple’s story has taken a hopeful turn. Not only was sperm found, but the couple also recently completed a successful IVF cycle and are now expecting a baby.
STAR: The AI tool that helps find hidden sperm
The breakthrough came from a research team at Columbia University, led by Dr Zev Williams, a fertility specialist. They developed a new technology called Sperm Track and Recovery, (STAR). STAR uses artificial intelligence to scan semen samples and identify extremely rare sperm cells—even when traditional methods find none.
“It’s like finding a needle hidden in a thousand haystacks,” said Dr Williams. “But STAR can do that in just a couple of hours. And it’s so gentle that the sperm it recovers can still be used to fertilise an egg.”
What Is Azoospermia?
Azoospermia is a condition where no sperm is found in a man’s ejaculate. It affects about 1 in 100 men and 10–15 per cent of men facing infertility. There are two types:
- Obstructive azoospermia: Where a blockage prevents sperm from mixing into the semen.
- Non-obstructive azoospermia: Where the body doesn’t produce enough sperm.
Causes can include genetics, past chemotherapy or radiation, drug use, environmental toxins, and issues like varicoceles (swollen veins in the scrotum).
Until now, the only options for couples facing azoospermia were donor sperm or invasive surgery—both of which come with emotional and physical challenges.
How STAR Works
The STAR system uses a combination of:
- A microfluidic chip that filters semen samples.
- A high-speed scanner that processes millions of images per hour.
- An AI algorithm that identifies tiny sperm cells missed by the human eye.
Once the AI detects sperm, that section of the sample is collected. Those sperm can then be frozen or used for IVF.
Dr Williams said the development took five years. “This technology gives hope to people who have been told they have no options,” he said.
A turning point after years of failure
In the New York couple’s case, lab experts had looked through the husband’s sample for 48 hours and found nothing. Then, STAR was used. In just one hour, it spotted 44 viable sperm which were enough to move forward with IVF.
The couple did not need any new treatments or procedures. The IVF cycle went ahead as normal in March 2025—and this time, it worked.
This case is not just a one-off success. Experts believe it’s the start of a major shift in fertility treatment. Dr Williams says azoospermia is only one issue that AI can help with.
“There are things going on that we are blind to right now,” he explained. “But with AI, we can finally see them. The goal is to make sure people who are told ‘you have no chance’ can finally have a child of their own.”
According to the World Health Organization, infertility affects 1 in 6 people globally. For many of them, male-factor infertility remains a major challenge.
But now, due to AI tools like STAR, the dream of becoming a parent may finally be possible, even for those who had given up hope.
