Sperm Banking

Sperm banking is a process that collects, freezes and stores your sperm in a special healthcare facility (sperm bank). Sperm are male reproductive cells. If a sperm cell fertilizes a female reproductive cell (egg or ovum), it can start a pregnancy. When you ejaculate during orgasm, you release about 300 million sperm in your semen.

Why should I bank my sperm?

Deciding to bank your sperm is personal. You may want to use your sperm to have biological children in the future. But your current situation may not allow you to have a baby through sexual intercourse. Some situations may include:

• Age: Most men make millions of new sperm each day. But as you age, your sperm quality may decrease. This generally occurs around age 40 and older.
• Certain treatments: Some may decrease your sperm count or prevent you from making sperm. These may include some cancer treatments (chemotherapy), the removal of your testicles (orchiectomy) or reconstructive surgery.
• Frequent travel: Many people travel a lot for work. The best time for women to get pregnant is during their fertile window. That’s five days before ovulation, up to one day after ovulation. If your partner ovulates while one of you is traveling, they may use your frozen sperm to become pregnant.
• Health conditions: Testicular cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and leukemia have high risks of causing male infertility.
• Low sperm count (oligospermia): Even if you have a low sperm count, banking it can help you have children through a procedure. These include in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
• Military deployment: Military deployment can keep you away from home for long periods. It may also put you at a greater risk for injuries to your reproductive organs.
• Vasectomy: Many men choose to have a vasectomy as a form of birth control. But they may change their minds as they get older and wish to have biological children.

If you’re married or in a committed relationship, you might want to talk your feelings out with your partner. And if you’re younger than 18, discuss your thoughts with your parents, guardians or caregivers.

When should I start?

It depends on why you want to bank your sperm. You may have to decide to bank your sperm quickly, especially if you have a serious condition. Talk to your healthcare provider about banking your sperm before starting treatment.

It’s usually safe to collect sperm during your first week of cancer treatments. Chemotherapy and radiation may damage the genetic material in your developing sperm. But it won’t damage mature sperm.

Will banking it delay my medical treatment?

No, banking your sperm won’t delay the start of your medical treatment.

Your testicles constantly make sperm. But it takes time to build up your sperm levels after you ejaculate. It’s best to collect a sample at least 48 hours after you last masturbated or had sex. This ensures you have the greatest sperm level.

You may have to collect several samples. A healthcare provider will collect other samples after going for another 48 hours without ejaculating (abstinence). If your treatment schedule doesn’t allow that much time, waiting 24 hours between collections is often enough.

How does sperm banking work?

You’ll go to a fertility clinic to bank your sperm. There, a healthcare provider will take you to a private room and give you a special container.

The container is usually a small plastic jar with a screw-top lid. Some fertility clinics also offer collection condoms. These are different from over-the-counter (OTC) condoms you may use when you have sex. OTC condoms can damage your sperm. Many also contain spermicidal lubricants. Spermicide kills sperm.

In the privacy of the room, you’ll masturbate and collect your semen in the special container.

Can I collect sperm at home?

Yes. Masturbation is a private act. Some people may find it difficult to provide a semen sample outside of the comfort of their homes. If you’re not comfortable or can’t masturbate at a fertility clinic, you may be able to use a home sperm-banking kit. A healthcare provider can send a sperm-banking kit to your home. They’ll include detailed instructions for collecting and returning your sample.

If you provide a sample at home, you may need to drop it off at a fertility clinic within a few hours. You should also try to keep it as close to your body temperature as possible. Keeping it around your normal body temperature helps keep your sperm healthy.

What happens before?

A healthcare provider will test you for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These include:

• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• HIV and AIDS
• Syphilis

Making sure you don’t have an STI helps protect your partner(s) and future child from a possible infection. STIs can also affect your sperm quality. Treating STIs helps increase your chances of a successful fertility treatment.

What happens next?

A healthcare provider will carefully label your sample with:

• Your name
• Your patient identification (ID) number
• An internal control number (an extra number that ensures proper identification)
• The date

They may also copy your photo ID for your permanent file. This is an additional safety measure. This info helps ensure your sample belongs to you at every stage of the banking process.

A provider will also test a small amount of your sample. Then, they’ll:

• Divide the rest of your sample into small amounts
• Treat them with a chemical (cryopreservative) that protects your sperm during the freezing process
• Store them in special containers (cryovials)

A provider will place your samples in a freezer set to -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 degrees Celsius). This step prevents your sperm from dying due to an extreme drop in temperature.

Later, the provider puts your samples in a liquid nitrogen vapor for about two hours. The liquid nitrogen vapor is about -86 F (-66 C).

Finally, the provider will store your samples in a deep-freeze storage tank. The tank contains liquid nitrogen. It’s -321 F (-196 C).

What tests are done to check my sperm?

A healthcare provider will analyze a small amount of semen. They’ll look at:

• The total number of sperm
• The total number of live sperm
• The percentage of sperm that is moving (motility)
• The shape (morphology) of sperm

Between 24 and 48 hours after freezing, the provider will look at a small amount to see how many sperm survive the freezing process. In general, sperm from a high-quality semen sample do better after thawing.

Based on your test results, the provider can recommend how many samples you need to have the best chance of pregnancy. They can also suggest the best procedure to get your partner pregnant.

What happens when I’m ready to use my sample?

Tell the fertility clinic at least four weeks before you’re ready to use it for fertility treatment. You or someone you legally appoint must then fill out a release form.

What are the potential benefits and risks?

There are many advantages to banking your sperm. Some include:

• Fertility: Many factors can cause male infertility. Banking your healthy sperm gives you the option to have biological children later.
• Health and safety: Banked sperm don’t increase your child’s risk of having a condition at birth (congenital condition). Babies conceived with cryopreserved sperm are as healthy as those conceived through sex.
• Longevity: With proper storage, semen samples don’t go bad, even after many years of deep freezing.

Sperm banking risks include:

• Ejaculation failure: Some conditions may make it difficult to collect a semen sample. These include erectile dysfunction (ED), delayed ejaculation and the inability to ejaculate (anejaculation). You may need a procedure to retrieve sperm.
• Cost: The cost of cryopreserving a semen sample varies. There may also be annual storage fees. Check with your insurance provider to see if they cover sperm banking.
• Inherited disorders: If your biological parents passed a condition to you, you may worry about your child’s health. It’s a good idea to talk to a genetic counselor to learn about your risks.

Can I use masturbation aids during collection?

Lubricants, including saliva, may damage or slow down your sperm. If you need a lubricant, a healthcare provider can give you a lubricant that’s safe for sperm.

Some people find it easier to masturbate with a sex toy. Talk to a healthcare provider if that’s what you’d prefer. They can suggest toys that won’t damage your sperm or limit your sample.

Can I bank my own sperm?

No, you can’t freeze your sperm at home. You need to store your sperm at a fertility clinic. You must also follow the exact steps to freeze your sperm that you can’t do at home.

What happens to my stored sperm samples if I die?

When you bank your sperm, you should legally appoint a partner, family member or trusted person as an executor. An executor is someone who can carry out your will. They can withdraw your sperm samples from the sperm bank after your death. Your partner may wish to use your banked sperm to have children.

An executor can also order a sperm bank to destroy your samples if you wish.

How do I become a sperm donor?

Becoming a sperm donor requires a thorough screening process. It includes:

• Answering questions. You need to provide information about your medical, sexual and family history. Questions may involve allergies, travel history, genetic conditions and radiation exposure.
• A physical exam. This will include blood testing, a pee test (urinalysis), STI testing, a genital exam and vision tests.
• A semen sample. Providers must ensure your sperm are healthy enough to donate. They’ll also freeze and eventually thaw your sample to make sure enough survive.

If you pass the screening process, you may donate sperm one or more times a week. To ensure the best quality sperm, you’ll have to avoid sexual activity for at least 48 hours before donating.