As artificial intelligence transforms almost every aspect of our world, researchers hope it will also help millions living with infertility. Read the second in our three-part series on the Future of Fertility.
When former AFL player Reece Conca met his partner Annabelle Grace, the couple wasted no time in trying to start a family. "I've always wanted to be a father, I absolutely love kids," the 31-year-old told SBS News. But when a year passed with no pregnancy , the Melbourne-based couple sought help, which led to a devastating diagnosis: Conca has azoospermia, a rare condition affecting around one in 100 men that means there's no sperm in the semen.
" In the 1990s, embryologists would examine one image; now the embryo's development is filmed as a time-lapse, with AI used to analyse thousands of images, all the while being taught which ones lead to a pregnancy and which ones don’t. Gardner said AI was helping to reduce time to pregnancy at no extra cost to patients. One IVF cycle can cost around $6,000 out of pocket, though some low-cost and government-funded clinics are sprouting up across the country.