You may have heard of the sperm banks where donated sperm are stored. But did you know people don’t just bank their sperm for donation purposes? They might do it for themselves. Men diagnosed with chronic illnesses, such as cancer, can preserve their sperm for future use.
Likewise, men who have hazardous jobs (that put them at risk of losing their fertility) might want to store their sperm to ensure they can have biological children later. Also called sperm freezing and cryopreservation, the procedure is considered an excellent option for men starting chemotherapy and other medical treatments that might affect their fertility. In this post, we’ve discussed sperm freezing and IVF, how it’s done, how long you can freeze the sperm, and how
Sperm freezing is the collection, freezing, and storing of sperm for future use. Here’s the detailed sperm-freezing process.
You must see a fertility specialist to discuss your sperm-freezing goals. They will take your medical history and order a few tests to rule out the possibility of HIV, Hepatitis B & C, and other infectious diseases. Be ready to fill out the legal forms as well.
The next step is sperm collection, which can be done at your fertility clinic. Your doctor will advise you to avoid sexual activity for 2-3 days before sample collection so you can get the best quality sperm for freezing. If you are diagnosed with male infertility issues, you can consider a surgical procedure called Testicular Sperm Extraction to extract sperm directly from your testes.
The fertility specialist will assess the count and quality of the sperm to know whether or not they are viable for freezing. More samples might be needed depending on your sperm quality and concentration.
The extracted sperm is then stored at -196 degrees Celsius in a cryobank containing liquid nitrogen. Note that the freezing should be done immediately after extraction or as soon as possible. Sperm can die or get damaged quickly when they are outside the reproductive organs. So, if you are collecting the sample at home, bring it to your fertility clinic within an hour.
When you decide to use the sperm for in-vitro fertilization, the frozen sperm will be carefully taken out of the cryobank and thawed. Thawing refers to heating the sperm to bring it back to the liquid state. During thawing, the specialist will assess the sperm motility and viability. They will use the best sperm to maximize your chances of conception.
If you want a biological child but aren’t ready for it yet, you can consider sperm freezing. Here’s who will benefit from the procedure.
Sperm freezing has been practiced since 1953, and it’s proven quite effective for IVF and intrauterine insemination. The sperm is frozen immediately after extraction to preserve its viability. However, the sperm-freezing success rate is only 50%. That means only around half of the frozen sperm will stay viable after thawing.
This rate shouldn’t be concerning if the sperm is of good quality. An average man releases 20 to 150 million sperm in one milliliter of semen. Only one motile and healthy sperm is needed for conception through IVF. So, there’s a good chance you can have biological children with frozen sperm.
The cost of IVF in Pakistan is between PKR 7,50,000 and 8,50,000. Sperm freezing can be included in the package, or the process might add to the price (depending on the fertility clinic you choose). It’s best to discuss sperm freezing costs in Pakistan with a fertility specialist. To ensure the best chances of conception through sperm freezing and IVF, consider getting your fertility treatment at Australian Concept Infertility Medical Center.
Australian Concept is an award-winning and the most reputable fertility clinic in Pakistan. They have multiple branches across different cities and internationally trained fertility specialists who can help you navigate the IVF process.
They also have the expertise and the equipment for sperm freezing. If you want to delay pregnancy but are concerned about declining fertility, consider freezing your sperm at Australian Concept. Book a free consultation right away and learn everything about cryopreservation, its success rate, the long-term effects of sperm freezing, and its benefits.
Certain lifestyle changes, such as managing stress and maintaining weight and diet, can help improve sperm count and quality naturally.
The biggest benefit of sperm freezing is fertility preservation. Men who have pregnancy on their wishlist but aren’t ready to have biological children yet can consider sperm freezing for future use.
Sperm freezing can lead to ice crystal formation, which damages sperm cells, reducing their motility and viability. However, that shouldn’t be a problem if you choose a reputable fertility clinic with the infrastructure needed to store sperm in a viable state.
Yes, the quality of the sperm is assessed before it’s used for fertility treatment, like IVF.
That depends on the quality of the sperm. Usually, 20 to 150 million sperm should be sufficient for sperm freezing.
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The Australian Concept Infertility Medical Center “Australian Concept” was established in 1998 with Australian technical collaboration in Karachi, Pakistan.