2<\/p>\n Jaiwen Hsu has undergone the world\u2019s first sperm transplant in the hope it will restore his fertilityCredit: AP<\/p>\n Azoospermia affects around one per cent of all men globally – or 500 men in every 50,000, according to research<\/a>.<\/p>\n The often devastating condition is caused by hormonal dysfunction<\/a>, blockages in the reproductive tract, or genetic conditions<\/a>.<\/p>\n Even something as simple as using the heated seat function in a car can lower sperm production.<\/p>\n In this case, Jaiwen’s infertility<\/a> was caused by chemotherapy<\/a> he received as a child to treat bone cancer<\/a>, which can take a toll on the reproductive system.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>. <\/p>\n These sperm-forming stem cells, which are found in the testicles from birth, were reintroduced and transplanted into his reproductive system.<\/p>\n University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UP)\u00a0medics used an ultrasound to guide a small needle through the base of the scrotum into the rete testis, a part of the testicle. <\/p>\n The hope is that this will mimic the natural process that occurs during puberty.<\/p>\n If the transplant succeeds, Jaiwen should begin producing sperm.\u00a0<\/p>\n While no sperm have yet been detected in his semen, medics have confirmed the procedure did not damage the man’s testicular tissue.<\/p>\n Drug could make women fertile for an extra 5 years and help them live longer <\/p>\n The experts plan to monitor his semen twice a year to see if sperm cells begin to develop.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not expecting a miracle result,\u201d said reproductive scientist Kyle Orwig, PhD, a professor at UP\u2019s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, according to the\u00a0Associated Press<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat 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.”<\/p>\n Many medical professionals are optimistic about this procedure.<\/p>\n “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<\/a>.<\/p>\n It could be especially helpful for \u201ccancer survivors treated before puberty or men with genetic or acquired testicular failure,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Until now, the procedure had only been tested in animals, where it successfully allowed male mice and monkeys to father offspring.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-video-provided-upmc-pitt-983115697.jpg\")
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