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Test showing if sperm can puncture an egg may guide fertility therapy

Seeing whether sperm is capable of puncturing, and ultimately fertilising, an egg would help people choose the type of fertility treatment with the highest chances of success

By Sara Novak

14 April 2023

A light micrograph of a sperm cell being injected into an egg via an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

A light micrograph of a sperm cell being injected into an egg via an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

ZEPHYR/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

An experimental test could identify cases of male infertility that are caused by genetic abnormalities hindering sperm’s ability to puncture an egg.

Figures from the World Health Organization suggest that 1 in 6 people globally are affected by infertility at some point in their life, with the cause often being unknown.

When investigating male infertility, doctors evaluate sperm volume, numbers, shape and motility. If all these factors come back “normal”, the cause of the infertility is often…

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