Sperm Preservation: Why & How
Putting aside sperm for preservation will ensure the possibility of fathering a child at some point in the future.
Why should I preserve sperm?
Whether you’re planning to have a vasectomy, are undergoing adverse medical treatment or a testis biopsy, facing a long-term illness, experiencing stress, approaching the senior years of your life, or facing a situation where contact with your partner during fertile periods is limited – putting aside sperm for preservation as an option to secure your future reproductive ability.
If your partner is engaging in fertility treatments that require artificial assistance, you will need to have your sperm preserved for use during insemination procedures.
At Androcryos we service those who wish to have sperm frozen and stored as a way of preserving their genetic future, allowing them to consider reproductive procedures in the future.
What is a vasectomy?
A vasectomy is a fairly permanent surgical procedure that cuts and ties off the testicular tubes that carry sperm from the testes into the penis during ejaculation. Doctors will advise their patients on the permanent sterilisation effect of the procedure, and recommend they set aside sperm for cryogenic preservation in case they decide to have children one day.
Reducing the risk of HIV transference
Men who are HIV-positive can also contemplate sperm preservation as a way of eliminating the HIV virus from their sperm sample. Once cleared, artificial insemination procedures are used to impregnate your partner.
Collection & Preservation
Collecting and preserving sperm is an easy and simple process, and is stored for as long as is agreed upon.
Ownership
Men who deposit sperm at places like Androcryos, are the sole owners of their sperm. The ownership of sperm can only be transferred to a partner through a Last Will and Testament. Or if indicated in the Sperm Preservation Request.
Confidential Tissue Donation
- Sperm donors register with a professional sperm bank who can provide the necessary information and guidelines to proceed with anonymous sperm donation.
- South Africa’s legislation on human tissue donation, which includes anonymous sperm donation.
- Because the process of egg donation involves a far more invasive and intimate process for woman over sperm donation, appropriate controls are in place to render the much required support. Egg donors register with a professional egg donor agency who can provide the necessary information and guidelines to proceed with confidential egg donation. Only public information pertaining to an egg donor’s profile is made available to potential recipients upon an enquiry to view the egg donor database.
- The sperm donation process is much less invasive than egg donation, nevertheless appropriate controls are in place to render much required support. Sperm donors register with a professional sperm bank who can provide the necessary information and guidelines to proceed with anonymous sperm donation. Information made available does not jeoprodise donor identity a non-personal profile is made available to potential recipients upon enquiry to view the sperm donor database.
- A high level medical investigation is undertaken as part of the application process as well as physical and psychological assessment before a potential sperm donor can be accepted onto the sperm donation program. Donor sperm is provided frozen or thawed depending on practitioner requirements. Donor sperm is kept in quarantine to ensure it meets necessary health requirements. A sperm donor is able to produce donor gametes after a short period of time and without any medication influencing the outcome.
- Gamete donation involving confidential egg donation and sperm donation are governed by the National Health Act of 2003. Processes affecting egg donor programs in South Africa are also governed by professional egg donation guidelines. These require sperm donors not to achieve more than five confirmed live births. The anonymity and confidentiality of sperm donation is secured by providing only information relevant to the outcome of the birth. Sperm donors are equipped with sufficient information and support to make an informed decision as to sperm donation.
- More on professional sperm donor services and sperm donation in South Africa can be found on www.androcryos.co.za
