Self-Monitoring for IVF Success: Developing Point-of-Care Sensors for Personalized Fertility Treatment

Fertility treatments like in-vitro fertilization (IVF) offer hope to many struggling with infertility, yet success rates remain below 40% for women under 40 in the U.S. The emotional, physical, and financial strains of failed IVF cycles highlight the urgent need for improved technologies that enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of these treatments. Current monitoring methods require frequent clinic visits to track hormone levels (such as progesterone and estradiol), but the existing tests do not capture the dynamic fluctuations essential for tailoring treatment. Non-invasive or minimally invasive real-time monitoring technologies could provide continuous assessment of hormone levels, enabling fertility specialists to make more informed decisions and personalize care. Recent studies indicate that home-based monitoring can match the effectiveness of traditional methods, suggesting that innovative approaches could ease the burden of IVF and potentially increase success rates, offering renewed hope to those facing infertility challenges. At the Wyss, we are using highly sensitive point-of-care multiplexed electrochemical sensors for the rapid detection of hormones using finger prick blood.