1 week Ago By Isabel Shaw
A MAN has received the world's first sperm-making stem cell transplant in a groundbreaking experiment to reverse infertility. Jaiwen Hsu, 26, had been diagnosed with azoospermia , a condition where no sperm is present in the semen , leaving him unable to father a child. Advertisement 2 Jaiwen Hsu has undergone the world’s first sperm transplant in the hope it will restore his fertility Credit: AP Azoospermia affects around one per cent of all men globally - or 500 men in every 50,000, according to research .
The often devastating condition is caused by hormonal dysfunction , blockages in the reproductive tract, or genetic conditions . Even something as simple as using the heated seat function in a car can lower sperm production. In this case, Jaiwen's infertility was caused by chemotherapy he received as a child to treat bone cancer , which can take a toll on the reproductive system.
Advertisement Read more on fertility FOOD FOR THOUGHT The common foods that could harm fertility - doctor issues warning N-APP-Y NEWS? How fertility & period-tracking apps backed by stars fuel rise in abortions For this clinical trial, doctors from the US used Jaiwen's own stem cells, which were harvested and frozen when he was younger, before his cancer treatment . These sperm-forming stem cells, which are found in the testicles from birth, were reintroduced and transplanted into his reproductive system. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UP) doctors did this by using an ultrasound to guide a small needle through the base of the scrotum into the rete testis, a part of the testicle.
The hope is that this will mimick the natural process that occurs during puberty. Advertisement Most read in Health Exclusive MIND THE GAP 5 'women’s health woes’ that affect MEN too & vice versa - from cancer to gout WAIT IS OVER 'No more 8am scramble for a GP appointment' after 1,500 extra GPs recruited BRAINY WARNING Common pregnancy complication risks 'autism and ADHD in kids', study says ASK DR ZOE My daughter suffers from really heavy periods - can anything help her? If the transplant succeeds, Jaiwen should begin producing sperm. While no sperm have yet been detected in his semen, medics have confirmed the procedure did not damage the man's testicular tissue.
Drug could make women fertile for an extra 5 years and help them live longer The experts plan to monitor his semen twice a year to see if sperm cells begin to develop. “We’re not expecting a miracle result,” said reproductive scientist Kyle Orwig, PhD, a professor at UP’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, according to the Associated Press . Advertisement “What we expect is that the transplant of stem cells will produce a small amount of sperm and that in order to achieve a pregnancy with his partner that he would need a follow-up assisted reproductive technology, like IVF.
" Many medical professionals are optimistic about this procedure. "If refined and proven safe, spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) transplantation could be a revolutionary fertility-restoring technique for men who've lost the ability to produce sperm," Dr Justin Houman, an assistant professor of urology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, told LiveScience . It could be especially helpful for “cancer survivors treated before puberty or men with genetic or acquired testicular failure,” he added.
Advertisement Until now, the procedure had only been tested in animals, where it successfully allowed male mice and monkeys to father offspring. 2 Swimming spermatozoa (with depth of field). Credit: Getty 'This is promising science' This marks the first time it has been trialled on a human, with the findings published in a paper on the preprint server medRxiv .
The researchers note that there’s a possibility the patient may never recover full fertility due to the small amount of stem cells collected as a child. Advertisement Read more on the Scottish Sun BURGER OFF ‘Unsightly’ snack van told to move from Scots beauty spot after 26 years BACK FROM THE MED Benidorm set to return eight years on from being axed by ITV And if it does work, risks remain, particularly for cancer patients, as some transplanted stem cells might have genetic mutations that could lead to new tumours. Dr Justin added, "We need to proceed cautiously and with rigorous oversight.
This is promising science — but it’s still early days." 5 ways to boost your chances of being a dad Dr Amit Shah, leading fertility expert and co-founder of Fertility Plus, shares tips that will increase male fertility over time: Eat a healthy well-balanced diet with lots of vegetables and protein, such as Brazil nuts, fish, meat, poultry, eggs and wholegrain cereal. Aim for a healthy body weight (BMI between 18.
5 and 24) with regular exercise, even if it is a 45-minute walk four times a week. Keep alcohol intake down, so no binge drinking and ideally less than ten units a week (a pint of lager is roughly 2-3 units). Cut out smoking, which deteriorates sperm health.
Don’t sit and suffer. Seek help from professionals..
