Θυατείρων 3, Νέα Σμύρνη / 3, Thiatiron Str. 171 21, Nea Smirni

Cryopreservation of sperm
or testicular tissue

When is the cryopreservation needed?

It is important that you store (cryopreserve) your sperm, if:

  • you are planning a chemotherapy or radiotherapy;
  • you suffer from thalassemia or you are having frequent blood transfusions (ATTENTION: in this case, keep semen early in puberty);
  • you make use of anabolic steroids;
  • you are planning an operation on testicles or prostate;
  • your sperm count or motility is low (e.g. oligoasthenozoospermia) and does not respond to treatment (a case of infertility or subfertility);
  • you may be absent the day of the IVF (in vitro fertilization) or IUI (intrauterine insemination);
  • you work in an ambient that might harm your semen (unhealthy work);
  • you have had an accident or disease that caused paraplegia or tetraplegia;
  • you are diabetic;
  • you have any hormonal disorders (e.g. hypothyroidism, hypogonadism);
  • you are planning a vasectomy (the surgical cutting and sealing of part of each vas deferens, typically as a means of sterilization).

You may also consider the preventive cryopreservation of sperm in a sperm bank to ensure your fertility no matter what happens in the future. It is like having a hospital or life insurance. The monthly cost for this cryopreservation is comparable to the cost of your coffees in a week and it prevents the risk of an accident that may make you lose your fertility, e.g. an injury of the testicles. An unfortunate situation that may lead to loss of the testicle is the testicle torsion. Fortunately, the torsion of the testicle is accompanied by a very intense pain so that the patient undoubtedly seeks for immediate medical assistance.

Cryopreservation of sperm may be done for altruistic reasons, i.e. for donation. According to the Law, sperm donation is not remunerated. The donor is only compensated for certain reasons determinate by the Law.

Cryopreservation of testicular tissue is needed in cases where an obstruction impedes the exit of spermatozoa with the ejaculate. In this case the spermatozoa are retrieved by biopsy of the testicles.

Which is the procedure I have to follow?

The procedure for the cryopreservation of your sperm depends mainly on sperm quality and the reason for which the sperm is cryopreserved.

If you are interested in preventive cryopreservation, we advise you to store a semen of the best quality possible. At this end, we advise you to first have a semen analysis andro-test in order to ensure that your semen is healthy. For example, if your semen is weak, you shall consult an urologist, who will recommend the proper treatment and when your semen is improved, you will cryopreserve a healthy semen.

In urgent cases, like when you are planning a chemotherapy, the cryopreservation is done inevitably as sooner as possible. If your semen contains a physiological number of spermatozoa of “good quality”, we can make many samples (straws) from a single ejaculate. On the contrary, if the “good quality” spermatozoa are few, you will need to give more ejaculates in separated days. Therefore do not leave your semen cryopreservation for the last moment.

Can I feel secured?

In regards to the number of samples stored, we recommend the cryopreservation of 5-10 samples with adequate number of spermatozoa of “good quality”. Consider that for every IVF it is usually needed a single sample. A healthy semen usually contains enough spermatozoa so that from a single ejaculate we can make 5-10 samples (straws).

In regards to the duration of the cryopreservation, theoretically, the semen can be cryopreserved for indefinite time, since at -196°C (-321°F), where it is stored, the cells’ metabolism is insignificant.

In regards to security, SPERMLAB uses procedures and materials of high security, i.e. handling under a microbiological class II cabinet and use of CBS™ high security sperm straws (in comparison to the vials and the old generation straws, which cannot guarantee a secured sealing). Furthermore, we co-sign the necessary documents through which you are secured that you will be the only one to decide about the use of your semen samples. Finally, every time you cryopreserve a semen sample, you are provided with the semen analysis of that sample, so that you know the number and quality of the spermatozoa stored.