A
national directory of sperm cryobanks, and
what to know before you go.
What
is the process I will have to go through in order to bank my sperm? (more
FAQ's below)
Sperm banking is, in most cases, a simple and straightforward process.
It is not time consuming nor "appointment intensive." Although the process
differs slightly between cryobanks, the basic procedure remains similar:
An appointment is set with the laboratory to meet with a lab representative,
review your case history and medical background, and to fill out necessary
paperwork.
Many labs require an initial test freeze of the sperm before actually
conducting the banking and they may require that you return for a second
appointment. Some labs conduct the tests and banking during your first
visit.
You may be given a choice of producing a specimen at home or at the
lab site. If you choose to collect at a laboratory you will be given
a private room. Visual material may also be made available to you. If
you choose to collect at home you will be given clear and exact instructions.
You may choose to bank sperm from one ejaculation (one collection
yields 1-6 vials of sperm). However, in most cases it is desirable to
bank more ejaculates. On average, patients bank three, as the quality
of the sperm often necessitates using more than one vial of sperm for
each attempt to achieve a pregnancy. If you choose to bank more ejaculates
you can do so by setting up further appointments for future collections.
Ideally, you should leave a minimum of 2 days between appointments to
build up your sperm count.
The sperm is frozen for as long as you choose to maintain it.
When you are ready to use the sperm you notify the bank in writing.
The bank then releases the specimen, shipping it to whatever physician
you request. When and if you want the specimens destroyed, most facilities
will do so only with notarized instructions from you.
