British Scientists Formulate Baffling Equation That Could Help Define the Perfect Sperm

British scientists have devised the algebra that elucidates the efficiency of a sperm when it's moving toward an egg, factoring in things like the length of its tail and rate of oscillation.

This is just one of the many series of equations which they hope will assist infertile couples to use only the most effective specimens, reported the Daily Mail. The team at Birmingham University is also of the notion that it will help in the creation of mobile phone apps that can rate a man's fertility in a matter of a few seconds simply by studying the magnified images of the samples. The equation has the power to bring about a huge change in fertility treatment, said Dr. Dave Smith, project leader of the team.

Over 16 percent of couples face difficulties while conceiving, and scientists believe that ineffective sperm is responsible for 50 percent of such cases. However, science has not progressed enough to fathom the quality of a sperm, which has resulted in unpredictable treatment. Identifying sperm that can actually work is a very difficult task, according to Professor Allan Pacey, an expert in male fertility at Sheffield University. He said that improving the analysis of semen for doctors is like "the holy grail."

Current technology uses a microscope to find the number of moving sperm in a sample besides looking at its shape, but the findings still remain subjective. Recognizing the best candidate from a semen sample of low quality is even difficult. Researchers now believe that they can greatly improve precision by using state-of-the-art cameras to measure a huge number of sperms and find out the best ones using a computer. If a sperm cannot make its way to the egg, no fertilization takes place, said Dr. Jackson Kirkman Brown, a member of the team.

The baffling equation found by the researchers, whose work was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, could now shed light on finding the perfect sperm and unlock the doors to fertility for couples planning to conceive.