Trying to get pregnant? This device minimises sperm leak to boost your chances

The_King · August 12, 2021

Worried that all the ejaculate leaking out of your body after sex is dampening your chances of conceiving a baby?

Singapore company twoplus fertility has a solution – the twoplus sperm guide, described as a “small, soft, comfortable device used during sex to help sperm get to the right place within the vaginal tract”.

THE SCIENCE

The "first-of-its-kind" technology was created after company co-founder and scientist Dr Benjamin Tee’s years-long struggle to have a baby with his wife.

Through speaking with other couples experiencing fertility issues, Dr Tee said he and his co-founder Prusothman Raja found a “huge gap” in the fertility market, whose products were largely focused on fertility tracking and insurance plans or incremental product improvement.

“None have focused on providing new, ground-breaking solutions to improve sperm transport to the egg,” said Dr Tee.

twoplus fertility founders Mr Prusothman Raja (left) and Dr Benjamin Tee. (Photo: twoplus fertility)

According to the company, a common misconception is that only a single sperm is needed for fertilisation to occur.

“In the average ejaculate, there are an average of about 100 million sperm. More than 2 million need to enter the cervix so that hundreds can reach the egg for fertilisation to occur.

“Hundreds are required to help prepare the way by breaking down the two outer protective layers of the egg,” said the company in a press release on Tuesday (Aug 10).

“Many sperm will not survive the acidic environment in the vagina. Combine that with the decreasing average sperm in men and having a sufficient amount of sperm to reach the egg is more challenging than ever,” it added.

“Currently there isn’t anything that couples can do to improve the transport of sperm towards the egg,” said Dr Tee.

“Unfortunately a large number of sperms are lost during copulation and less than 1 per cent of sperms make it to the cervical mucus.

“Considering that sperm count among men has halved in the last 40 years, it’s important that we reduce the loss of sperm during copulation,” he said.

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This chart shows the percentage of ejaculated sperm that actually makes it to the fertilisation stage. (Photo: twoplus fertility)

According to twoplus fertility co-founder Mr Raja, “a number” of customers have gotten pregnant from using the sperm guide and the company plans to conduct a clinical study with a local hospital to validate its efficacy.

More than 80 per cent of twoplus fertility’s customers have also reported better sperm retention while using the device, he added.

HOW IT WORKS

The twoplus sperm guide is made of a soft, biocompatible silicone and is shaped like a disposable ice-cream spoon.

The “soft but springy” flap is folded downwards and the guide is inserted into the vagina before intercourse, creating a canal for the sperm to pass through.

This diagram demonstrates how the twoplus sperm guide is inserted into the vagina before intercourse. (Photo: twoplus fertility)

This canal protects sperm from harmful acidic vaginal fluid, said the company in its press release.

During intercourse, the penis is then able to “effortlessly glide” over the device.

Following ejaculation, the guide directs the sperm towards the deeper end of the vaginal tract and increases the potential for natural conception, it added.

After the penis is withdrawn post-ejaculation, the flap springs up, forming a seal that blocks the backflow of semen out of the body.

The company advised that the guide should be kept in place after sex for up to an hour. During this time, you can move about and do non-strenuous activities without fear of the device shifting, it said, adding that this solves the problem of a woman having to keep her legs raised or lying in uncomfortable positions in bed after sex.

After it has been removed from the body, couples are advised to sanitise the device using mild soap in hot water. The device can then be placed back in the case provided.

The device can be used up to five times, a rough estimate of use for one ovulation cycle.

The twoplus sperm guide is registered with the Health Sciences Authority as a medical device. It is available on the company’s website as part of a kit for S$81 to S$202. The kit also contains a tube of water-based fertility lubricant.