What is sperm cryopreservation and who is it for?
2min ReadSperm cryopreservation has been one of the most popular sperm preservation methods for the past 40 years. The sperm can be utilized either to be later used by the man himself or to be donated to someone else. In 1935, the first person conceived using frozen sperm was born. In the past, sperm cryopreservation was mostly used to preserve sperm for men who suffered from cancer. Nowadays, it has many more uses.
When is sperm cryopreservation used?
The most common reason for using cryopreservation is to preserve sperm before undergoing chemo and radiotherapy. Here are some other reasons:
- The presence of diseases and disorders that could affect a man’s reproductive abilities. These include the symptoms of cancer treatment, spinal damage, and MS. Among the different types of cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and testicular cancer are the ones that have the most negative effects.
- Men who will get a vasectomy.
- Men with a very low sperm count.
- Those who work in the military and have a high risk for injury.
- Transsexual men who wish to preserve their sperm before undergoing a sex-change procedure.
How is it done?
- First, the man has to sign some papers to give his consent.
- Then he will be given a sterile container to ejaculate into. If he cannot ejaculate due to spinal damage or other reasons, some medical techniques must be used to extract the semen. The sample must be taken to the lab within an hour to be analyzed.
- The semen will then be mixed with substances called “cryoprotectants”. These substances protect the sperm from being damaged during the freezing process. The freezing process takes around 3 hours.
- The main sample will be divided into a few smaller samples to be used at a later time.
- Freezing the semen is done slowly so that the sperm doesn’t become damaged. Afterwards the semen samples will be moved to a liquid nitrogen (-196°C) container for long-term storage.
- This sperm can be used till up to 40 years.
What clinical tests are needed before semen cryopreservation?
The sperm donor will be tested for HIV, hepatitis B and C, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, and HTLV1.
Are there any risks?
Although the possibility of DNA degradation is still being researched, there is no risk for the donor or the resulting child. The main risk is potential damage to the sperm during the freezing process.
What are the success rates of sperm cryopreservation?
The success rates for frozen semen are the same as with normal, fresh semen.
How long does the preserved sperm last?
The standard duration of sperm preservation is 10 years.
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