The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in collaboration with Amity University, has developed an Artificial Intelligence-based tool to detect Y chromosome microdeletion (YCMD), a genetic cause of male infertility, and predict outcomes of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). The study detailing the AI tool was published in the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics last week.
According to Deepak Modi, senior scientist at ICMR’s National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health (NIRRCH), nearly 50% of infertility cases are due to male factors, with YCMD affecting about one in 10 men with infertility. This genetic defect prevents sperm production in the testes, leading to infertility. Men with YCMD cannot benefit from treatments to improve sperm count and often require assisted reproductive techniques like IVF to father children.
As reported by medicalbuyer, the AI tool, named ‘Fertility Predictor,’ can predict sperm retrieval rates, success rates of assisted reproductive technology (ART), and outcomes such as fertilization, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates based on the type of Y chromosome microdeletion. This enables couples to make more informed decisions about their treatment options. However, Dr. Modi cautioned that male babies born through IVF from men with YCMD will inherit the same genetic defect, leading to infertility in future generations.
Developed over two years, the tool uses data from more than 500 men with YCMD undergoing ART, applying machine learning algorithms to predict outcomes. The tool has shown an accuracy rate of about 80% in validating these predictions, according to Stacy Colaco, a scientist at NIRRCH and first author of the study. Abhishek Sengupta, assistant professor of biotechnology at Amity University, highlighted the tool’s ability to provide numerical predictions for clinical pregnancy and live birth chances in men with YCMD, emphasizing its robustness and high accuracy.