Sperm freezing

Sperm storage is provided as a free service to NHS patients where fertility might be impaired by a medical condition, or as a side effect of treatment. Some forms of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgical therapy can lead to infertility that may be temporary or permanent. This is known as ‘premature infertility’.

Before any of these therapies are carried out, it is possible to store sperm using a freezing process known as “cryopreservation”. These samples can be used (after thawing) to overcome possible sterility caused by the above treatments using procedures such as Artificial Insemination, In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).

The Andrology Laboratory provides a long-term semen storage service for premature infertility for up to 55 years. This service is regulated and licensed by the UK statutory body, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Your clinician will refer you for long term sperm storage when they have confirmed the possibility of premature infertility. They will have arranged viral screening blood tests before referring you to Andrology. These need to be negative in the last three months for:

• Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
• Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV).

Important information regarding referrals for sperm banking

• Patients referred for sperm banking must be medically fit enough to undertake masturbation for sperm collection.
• Negative screening results (within the preceding 3 months) for HIV 1 & 2, Hepatitis B surface antigen and core antibody, Hepatitis C antibody and HTLV 1&2 must be received by Andrology before a referral for sperm banking is undertaken.
• A signature from a registered medical practitioner, stating that the diagnosis of the patient may impair his fertility, is required by Andrology before sperm banking can be undertaken.
• Patients’ abstinence from sexual activity should be 2-7 days for sperm storage.
• Patients should be referred directly to Andrology for sperm banking before facing imminent sterile inducing treatments (e.g. chemotherapy/radiotherapy). There is evidence that the quality of semen in patients with active disease can decline over very short periods of time.

Semen sample production

On the day of your appointment, you will be asked to produce a semen sample, in one of our private rooms, by masturbation. 2 – 7 days abstinence from sexual activity is preferable for sperm storage. We do not provide pornographic materials, but you may bring your own if you wish.

Examination of semen sample

Your semen sample will be examined for the presence of motile sperm. Freezing takes place as soon as possible after the sample is passed, so it is better if the sample is produced on the premises. It will then be stored in ampoules (small sealed bottles) in liquid nitrogen vapour. The ampoules are labelled with your full name, date of birth, reference number and the date of storage. You can contact the department via telephone to be informed if your sample was suitable for freezing and the number of ampoules stored. Depending on when your treatment starts you can store more samples if you wish.

Appointments are held in the mornings

Inpatients must have a suitable escort to and from their sperm banking appointment. The referring hospital must perform their own risk assessment of the patients’ fitness to travel by taxi/ambulance and make appropriate arrangements for the transfer of the patient to and from Andrology. A fitness to travel form (available from Andrology) should be completed and signed by the referring hospital and sent to Andrology by email with the referral form.

Referral instructions

Ensure the patient has negative screening results within the last 3 months for the following:

• HIV (Anti HIV-1, 2)
• Hepatitis B (HBsAg AND Anti-HBc)
• Hep C (Anti HCV-Ab)
• HTLV 1&2.
• Zika virus

Sperm cannot be banked for patients that test positive for the Zika virus. Please check if patients have visited a Zika virus affected area in the 3 months prior to sperm banking and arrange for a blood test prior to referral if the patient has visited one of these areas.

More information about Zika virus

Appointments

Appointments are usually made quickly This gives you the best chance to store as much of your sperm as possible, before your treatment starts.  You can be seen alone or bring someone to accompany you to the appointment.

HFEA consent forms

There are statutory (legal) regulations regarding the freezing and storing of sperm. The Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) requires the patient’s consent in writing prior to sperm storage. The patient will need to consider:

• how long their sperm should be stored for.
• if to name a partner to be able to use sperm in assisted conception.
• what will happen to the stored sperm if they died or became mentally incapacitated.
• what will happen to the stored sperm if it is not used in assisted conception.

The patient is free to withdraw or vary the terms of their consent at any time, unless the sperm has already been used. You will need to attend Andrology to complete the legal HFEA consent forms before sperm banking is undertaken. 

Where patients are very young (under 16 years) the referring clinician is required to certify that the patient is pubertal, understands how they have to produce a semen sample by masturbation and that they will be able to understand the HFEA consent forms and give informed consent.

The Teenage Cancer Trust has information resources about sperm banking that you may find useful.