Science
A truly revolutionary test for male infertility, which was developed by specialists from Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland's Queen's) University Belfast). According to scientists, this test can not only save money and time, but also once and for all answer the main question of many couples who have been unsuccessfully trying to conceive a child for a long time time — is this the result of male or female infertility? The answer to this question will make it possible to concentrate on treatment in such a way as to achieve the desired result more quickly.
According to Professor Sheena Lewis, who led the research that led to the development of the above test, the test itself, called SpermComet, was the result of more than ten years of hard work by scientists. But now SpermComet is able to provide unique information about a man's sperm cells. None of the existing tests for male infertility in the world can provide more complete information at this time.
The essence of this test is to determine the number of sperm cells with damaged deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules. In addition, the data obtained as a result of this test can be used to predict the effectiveness of a treatment for male infertility. This will save not only a lot of money that could be spent on various expensive studies, but also the time that research requires. In fact, the SpermComet test will provide the shortest route for all couples to recover from infertility and have a child.
“Every sixth couple has difficulty conceiving a child. About 40 per cent of infertility cases occur among the world's male population. Until recently, medicine had little or no accurate tools to be sure to detect male infertility,” Lewis explains. “Male infertility was traditionally diagnosed with a regular spermogram, which provided very general information about the condition of spermatozoa and their ability to fertilize.” Lewis also noted that the value of old methods of analysis was low and did not solve the situation with male infertility in general, as it was impossible to predict the effectiveness of a particular method treatments. Mistakes were also possible, since very often the spermogram was unable to record certain disorders that accompany male infertility.
“The test's very name, SpermComet, is due to the fact that it broke into science like a comet into the planet's airspace. The key point in this test is to identify damaged DNA, which can be called the tail of a comet; whole DNA can be compared to a comet's head,” Lewis argues about the benefits of the new test. It is impossible not to notice in her allegory an analogy with the appearance of the sperm cells themselves! “The good quality of sperm DNA is closely related to the possibility of conceiving and giving birth to a healthy child. SpermComet is the most sensitive tool for determining sperm DNA quality! “, concluded Professor Lewis. According to optimistic researchers, in the near future, the possibility of such testing will be available everywhere. At the moment, we can talk about the beginning of the clinical trial phase of the SpermComet test in UK clinics.