Author: NY Weekly Staff

Infertility affects one out of eight couples, and in approximately 15% of these cases, doctors are unable to find a reason why. Despite the thousands of people dealing with this issue, most choose to suffer in isolation. The co-founders of twoplus Fertility have experienced infertility’s ups and downs firsthand, and their ground-breaking solution offers hope to couples struggling in silence.

Why no one talks about infertility

Infertility is a lonely struggle. The issue is common, but people choose to hide it for a number of reasons. For the most part, however, discussions about ovaries, egg reserves, testicles, semen, and sperm counts are still perceived as taboo. Everyone is aware of the reproductive process, but couples are hesitant to share the details of their particular experience.

In addition, couples who cannot conceive often encounter shame. They may watch friends and family having children of their own and become convinced they are somehow deficient. Infertility involves a long succession of mounting hopes and soul-crushing failures, and the heartbreaking negative results of pregnancy tests become more difficult to share with each passing month. 

Infertility breeds isolation. As months drag into years, even supportive couples can turn to blame or defeat. The stress of invasive procedures and a ticking biological clock often create a wedge in even the most solid relationships.

Benjamin Tee and Prusothman Raja found twoplus fertility to help couples conceive

Benjamin Tee and his wife longed to start a family of their own, but encountered months of agonizing disappointment. As a Stanford Biodesign Fellow with a Ph.D. from Stanford University, he was frustrated more than most by the lack of innovation in the area of reliable home-based fertilization solutions. In response, he threw himself into research and collaborated with countless engineers. 

During his subsequent years of study, Tee and his wife underwent invasive tests along with multiple rounds of intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Finally, their dream of a family became a reality. Despite this, Tee never set aside his research. The couple’s path to pregnancy had been long, expensive, and emotionally draining, and he remained convinced a simple solution was within reach.

“Holding a newborn child in my arms motivated me to help other couples in our situation,” Tee remarks. “IVF worked for us, but I wanted a solution that didn’t deplete a couple’s savings and turn their lives upside down.”

Tee approached Prusothman Raja, another Stanford Biodesign Fellow, with his mission. As a biomedical engineer who had already collaborated with Tee on a number of projects and innovated several healthcare products, Raja jumped at the opportunity. Together, they founded twoplus with the goal of helping 1 million couples to conceive over the next 10 years.

“I witnessed the effects of infertility on several close friends and family members,” Raja explains. “I knew personally how much they would have benefited from an accessible and scientifically sound solution, and I believed the problem was solvable.”

Starting a fertility journey

Tee advises couples embarking on a fertility journey to start with hope, a united plan, and patience. He describes becoming pregnant as a challenge, even under the best circumstances.

“You can think of the process like a helicopter delivering precious cargo onto a target zone of fewer than 10 centimeters during an earthquake. Many sperm die early on due to the vagina’s acidic environment. In fact, less than 1% ever reach the cervical mucus. Considering average sperm counts have decreased by half over the last 40 years, it’s crucial to improve the number of sperm safely transported to the egg.”

The company’s solution is the twoplus Fertility Applicator. This device allows couples to practice IVI in the comfort and privacy of their home and eliminate stress during intercourse. Practicing insemination at home enables couples to make the process more intimate and far less clinical.

The FDA-registered twoplus Applicator delivers the maximum amount of sperm to a waiting egg. By depositing sperm beyond the vagina’s acidic environment, couples optimize their chance of fertilization.

“Only one sperm fertilizes an egg, but at least 100 need to survive the journey,” Raja observes. “As multiple sperm reach the egg, their crowding weakens the cell wall enough to allow one to pass through.”

While the narrow tips of conventional self-insemination syringes lead to significant loss of semen, the twoplus Fertility Applicator’s rounded tip ensures that over 90% of semen reaches the destination. In addition, the Applicator Extra comes with a soft tip that prevents semen leakage.

Many couples are challenged by trying to reduce the stress and isolation they feel on their fertility journey. The team at twoplus understands that challenge and remains dedicated to enabling couples to educate themselves and take control of their fertility.