Mobile Fertility Test Platform for Airman and their physicians

Infertility affects 11% of US couples. However, recent studies show that infertility rates are 3 times higher for military couples at over 30%*, with couples claiming military service contributes to this higher rate (SWAN report of 2018). However, only one Air Force medical center covers infertility treatments, leaving thousands of airmen and women in need of fertility care. This proposal aims to develop a rapid, in home fertility hormone testing system. This system would provide immediate access to important fertility diagnostic information to Airman wherever they call home and the mobile application would allow test results to be transmitted to their doctor’s clinic.  The number one cause of infertility is hormone imbalances, so the ability to diagnose this quickly will lead to couples to seek medical help sooner. This will in turn decrease costly and lengthy IVF (in vitro fertilization) treatments to more low cost and quicker treatments that can be done remotely. Increasing fertility coverage and resources also leads to better work-life balance within the Air Force, which will contribute to both higher recruitment and retention rates.