Sperm freezing / fertility preservation
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.