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A guest essay on Astral Codex Ten recounts how a couple used ChatGPT as a supplement during six years of fertility treatment. The author says the chatbot suggested an MRI that identified a large uterine fibroid missed in earlier testing; the account does not establish that AI diagnosed the condition or that the fibroid caused the couple’s infertility.
A couple undergoing fertility treatment after six years of unexplained infertility say ChatGPT suggested an MRI that revealed a 6-centimeter uterine fibroid they had not previously detected. In a guest post on Astral Codex Ten, Drew Housman describes using the chatbot to discuss scans and treatment questions; the account is a personal report, not evidence that AI can reliably diagnose infertility or replace clinical care.
Housman writes that he and his wife could produce embryos, but repeated embryo transfers did not lead to pregnancy. After doctors had not identified an explanation, the couple began consulting ChatGPT, which Housman calls their “LLM doctor.” They asked it about imaging, hormone levels, follicle counts, procedures, supplements and other aspects of treatment, and compared its responses with advice from their clinicians.
According to Housman, the chatbot sometimes made mistakes, including once interpreting an ultrasound as showing a pregnancy when it did not. He says that, on other occasions, its answers matched what the couple’s doctors told them. The account does not provide medical records, independent review of the AI’s responses, or enough detail to assess the accuracy of those comparisons.
The key suggestion came when ChatGPT recommended an MRI. Housman says the couple’s fertility doctor initially tried to dissuade them, and the couple insisted that the scan be ordered. The MRI found a submucosal fibroid measuring 6 centimeters in the uterine wall. Housman reports that the fertility doctor reviewed the images and said it should be removed. The supplied portion of the essay does not state whether removal took place or what happened to the couple’s fertility treatment afterward.
A Prompt to Revisit Fertility Imaging
The account illustrates how patients may use chatbots to prepare questions and pursue explanations when appointments are brief and an evaluation has not yielded an answer. Here, the reported value was not a confirmed AI diagnosis but a suggestion to ask about an imaging test that the couple says had not been part of their work-up.
That distinction matters. A personal account cannot show how often an AI suggestion would be useful, how often it would lead to unnecessary testing, or whether the fibroid caused the failed embryo transfers. The story is relevant to patients and clinicians because it raises practical questions about how AI-generated suggestions are checked, discussed and acted on in care. The couple’s experience also underlines the need for a clinician to interpret imaging and make treatment decisions.
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Years of Treatment Before the Scan
Housman describes a long course of fertility care in which the couple underwent numerous tests, scans and procedures without finding a clear explanation for the failed transfers. He says a clinician’s notes mentioned MRI as an option once, but the possibility was not emphasized and the couple did not pursue it at that time. The guest post does not identify the clinic or provide a full timeline of the tests.
The couple started using ChatGPT after GPT-4 became available, according to Housman. He says the chatbot initially refused some medical questions, and that the couple sometimes framed requests as scenes from a medical television drama to get responses. This describes their interaction with the product, not a recommended way to obtain medical advice. Housman also notes that chatbot responses could be inconsistent and that the system sometimes made an obvious interpretive error.
“That’s when our LLM doctor stepped in.”
— Drew Housman, writing in a guest post on Astral Codex Ten
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The Fibroid’s Role Is Unconfirmed
The supplied account does not establish whether the fibroid caused the failed embryo transfers, whether it was the only factor affecting fertility, or what outcome followed its discovery. It also does not include the couple’s complete medical records or an independent assessment of the chatbot’s suggestions. The finding is reported by Housman; it should not be treated as proof that an AI system can diagnose infertility or that MRI is appropriate for every patient in a similar situation.
Other details are missing, including the timing of the scan, the specific clinical reasoning behind the doctor’s initial reluctance, and whether the growth was surgically removed. The source presents the couple’s recollection and interpretation of their care, rather than a formal study comparing AI-assisted and standard fertility evaluations.
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Treatment Outcome Not Reported
The supplied portion of Housman’s essay ends after describing the MRI finding and the doctor’s recommendation to remove the fibroid. It does not say whether surgery occurred, whether the couple resumed embryo transfers, or whether they later became pregnant. Those outcomes would be needed to understand what followed clinically, but they would not by themselves establish that ChatGPT’s suggestion was responsible for a successful result.
For now, the documented development is the couple’s account of using a chatbot to raise a question that led to further imaging. Any medical decision based on an AI response requires review by a qualified clinician, who can assess the patient’s history, weigh testing options and interpret results.
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Key Questions
What did ChatGPT suggest?
Housman says ChatGPT suggested that his wife get an MRI during fertility treatment after repeated embryo transfers had failed.
What did the MRI find?
According to Housman, the scan showed a 6-centimeter submucosal fibroid in the uterine wall. He says the fertility doctor recommended removing it.
Did the account prove the fibroid caused infertility?
No. The supplied account does not establish that the fibroid caused the failed transfers or explain what happened after it was found.
Does this show AI can replace a fertility doctor?
No. This is a personal account, not a clinical study. Housman reports both helpful suggestions and errors, and the account does not validate ChatGPT as a diagnostic tool or substitute for medical care.
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