Israeli start-up aims to help couples undergoing fertility treatments

28.04.2015

Many couples in Israel and around the world are experiencing difficulties when trying to conceive. As much as 20% of Israeli couples, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Health, undergo fertility treatments. This is no easy process -- it's long, uncomfortable and costly, and burdens couples both financially and mentally.

A new Israeli project, Pointed Flow, headed by Dr. Asaf Cohen, was designed to give hope to couples having trouble conceiving. Cohen's product is expected to significantly improve the success rates of conception and thus hopefully optimize the entire process, saving both time and money.

There are two possible courses for fertility treatments: the first is simpler and less expensive -- includes selected hormonal treatments, alongside assisted insemination; the second is the infamous in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment -- including riskier hormonal treatments, an egg retrieval procedure under full anesthesia, successive in-vitro fertilization of the oocytes and embryo transfer into the woman's uterus.

To avoid IVF, Pointed Flow developed their device to improve the movement and direction of sperm toward the egg during insemination. Their technology is based on the fact that the chances for a successful fertilization in-vivo are dependent on the number and quality of sperm cells making their way to the ovum.

According to Pointed Flow's, lab results have shown that using their device improves by 50 the amount of sperm moving towards the egg; sperm quality is also expected to show considerable improvement. Thus the chances of conception increase as well, while exposing the woman to a minimal hormone regimen, or without any sort of external hormonal intervention whatsoever. It is worth mentioning that this device is meant to assist the conception process in general, regardless of which one of the partners is the main contributor to infertility. However, it will not help every instance of infertility and in any case it is recommended to consult your physician in this matter.

Based on: huffingtonpost.com