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More and more couples worldwide are opting to start a family later in life. This has led to an increase in the number of women who turn to assisted reproductive technologies, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF), for a chance to have a baby. 

To help women navigate the complex world of IVF, in 2018 online fertility resource IVFBabble launched World Fertility Day, designating November 2 as a day to educate people about fertility preservation, family planning and reproductive health.

In honor of World Fertility Day 2024, ISRAEL21c has compiled a list of the latest Israeli technological breakthroughs in this sphere. 

LIONESS

Despite IVF presenting a great opportunity for couples struggling with fertility to have children, the methodology is not perfect.

One of the main cons of IVF is the high number of preterm births, compared to births following “spontaneous” conception. Studies have pointed to a higher incidence of preterm birth, low birthweight, and birth defects among children conceived through IVF. 

To mitigate this issue, northern Israel-based PregnanTech is developing a non-surgical device intended to delay preterm birth. 

The Lioness device is inserted in a short outpatient procedure, and its unique structure allows it to stay stable in place throughout the entire pregnancy, with a self-release mechanism in case of active labor.

The device was successfully tested in preclinical studies and a pilot clinical trial among pregnant women at high risk of preterm birth, with more trials scheduled for next year.  

FertilAI

Another drawback of IVF is that there is only a 30 percent chance, per treatment cycle, that a healthy pregnancy and baby will result. 

FertilAI of Givatayim has developed Fertilane: a clinical platform that uses AI to predict natural cycle ovulation and generates tailored treatment recommendations for greater efficiency. 

Recently presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Congress and Expo in Denver, Fertilane can increase the average number of eggs retrieved for fertilization by 30% and clinical pregnancy rates by 5-8%.

Hyaluronic acid

An Israeli study published in the Human Reproduction scientific journal suggests another way of enhancing the ultimate success of IVF by a similar margin.

The research, conducted by Kaplan Medical Center of Rehovot and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI), discovered that the addition of hyaluronic acid, mostly used in the skincare industry, to the liquid culture medium in which embryos are kept before implantation provides a “clinically beneficial” enhancement.

Dr. Devorah Heymann, who led the study, said that “exposing an embryo to hyaluronic acid for more than 10 minutes prior to its transfer to the womb, increased the likelihood of a birth from 32% to 39%.”

BAIBYS

The Tel Aviv-based BAIBYS startup automates the challenging process of sperm selection for IVF treatments, utilizing AI and micro-robotics. This technology is expected to reduce the time and cost of the selection procedure, which normally requires highly trained medical personnel. 

The company, founded in 2020, aims to boost the success rates of IVF procedures, minimize birth defects, and alleviate the financial strain on healthcare systems. 

BAIBYS’ technology appeared to have made an impression on investors. Two months ago, the company closed its Series A funding round, having raised $4.5 million, including from Japanese pharmaceutical giant ROHTO. 

FertiliFit

One of the main challenges of the IVF journey for women is the fact that it often requires several cycles of daunting treatment to even extract enough eggs suitable for fertilization. There is some trial and error involved, as not every woman responds the same to a specific treatment plan.

FertiliFit, a fertility startup based in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, utilizes big data and machine learning to create algorithms that help adjust treatment plans for each woman, hoping to boost the success of the treatments and substantially decrease the number of treatments required before conceiving. 

The startup was founded in 2022 by data scientist and algorithms developer Michal Jacob, who was motivated to solve the issue having gone through an arduous IVF experience herself. 

Fairtility 

This Tel Aviv-based startup has already raised nearly $20 million since being founded two years ago. Fairtility’s flagship product is CHLOE EQ (Cultivating Human Life through Optimal Embryos), an embryo quality assessment assistant. 

The assistant uses AI and big data to improve IVF outcomes through accurate, early, data-driven embryo quality assessment, boosting pregnancy rates and decreasing IVF cycles.

Fairtility said it is developing CHLOE’s capabilities beyond embryo assessment to include other aspects of IVF treatment.

Embryonics

Another company that utilizes AI to help increase IVF success rates is Tel Aviv-based Embryonics. 

The company is designing deep learning networks to improve embryo selection, noninvasive genetic analysis and patient schematics, with the goal of enhancing and simplifying the process of IVF to make it cheaper and more accessible. 

The company was founded in 2018 by Yael Gold Zamir, an Orthodox physician and entrepreneur.

AIVF

Tel Aviv-based AIVF offers a set of AI-powered tools for digitization and automation of IVF clinics via its unique software platform. 

The company said that its clinical trials in Europe and US showed proven potential to shorten the number of IVF cycles needed for pregnancy, and increase IVF predictability by 48%.

The company, founded in 2018 by embryologist Dr. Daniella Gilboa and fertility specialist Prof. Daniel Seidman, has raised over $25 million so far. 

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