twoplus Fertility developed the twoplus Sperm Guide – an effective, at-home fertility treatment to help increase the chances of natural conception by aiding more sperm cells to reach the egg.
1-in-7 couples in the UK may have difficulty conceiving according to NHS data. Fertility issues are generally perceived to be a female health problem. However, male factors such as poor sperm count and motility also affect a couple’s ability to conceive. The average man now carries around half as much sperm compared to 40 years ago and most sperm don’t naturally make it very far into the female reproductive tract.
The twoplus Sperm Guide is a small, comfortable device used during sex to help sperm get to the right place. The device mimics cervical cap insemination, preventing leakage of sperm after sex, while also increasing the amount of sperm that reaches the cervical mucus. Without intervention, less than 1% of sperm reach the egg. The twoplus Sperm Guide has been shown in in-vitro testing to increase the effective sperm count by approximately eight times.
It is a common misconception that only a single sperm is needed to reach the egg for fertilisation to occur. In fact, more than 2 million sperm need to enter the cervix, so that hundreds of sperm can prepare the way for the ‘survivor sperm’ by breaking down the two outer protective layers of the egg. This allows the final sperm to fertilise the egg.
We spent over two years developing the product alongside fertility specialists and sperm biologists. It was worth the time and effort when we welcomed the first baby born using twoplus technology earlier this year.
How did you come up with the idea for the company?
My wife and I faced our own problems conceiving. We were excited to start a family together after spending time on our careers. However, the longer the process took, the more frustrated we became. Fertility doctors eventually diagnosed unexplained infertility.
I decided to channel my frustrations into understanding fertility and conception. I was surprised by the lack of a simple and effective home-based solution for couples that also preserved the privacy of the process.
I wanted to ensure couples have alternative options to achieve successful natural conception before or whilst seeking medical intervention. Most of the fertility products out there are focused on fertility tracking or incremental product improvements. None have concentrated on providing new, ground-breaking solutions to improve sperm transport to the egg.
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How has the company evolved during the pandemic?
twoplus fertility began mid pandemic and our main sales channel has been via our e-commerce store. There was a lot of engagement as couples decided to take the opportunity to start a family during the pandemic.
When we started twoplus one of the aims was to reduce the barrier to quality fertility care. Even prior to the pandemic, getting access to fertility help was a challenge for most people around the world. The pandemic accelerated this further.
What can we hope to see from twoplus fertility in the future?
We are currently developing new products that will soon be ready for launch in Singapore and shortly afterwards in the UK. There is no shortage of opportunities in the fertility space!
Our longer-term aim is to become a one-stop hub for fertility solutions. We have big ambitions: we want to help 1 million couples conceive over the next 10 years.
