Semen cryopreservation, often referred to as sperm freezing, is the process of preserving sperm for both medical and non-medical reasons.
Indications for Semen Cryopreservation
A patient may undergo semen cryopreservation if they are:
- About to undergo treatment that can affect their fertility, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- Planning to undergo gender affirmation and/or about to begin hormone replacement therapy.
- At a higher risk of an injury due to their lifestyle.
- About to undergo a vasectomy and want to preserve sperm in case they may want further children in the future.
- Worried they will not be able to produce a semen sample on the day of ART treatment.
- Potentially going to be away on the day of treatment, e.g. a FIFO worker.
The Process of Semen Cryopreservation
A clinical analysis will first be performed to identify the sperm concentration and motility of the given sample. Then the semen is mixed with a solution called a cryoprotectant, that promotes sperm survival and function as well as protecting the DNA integrity of sperm post-thawing. The sample is placed into special cryopreservation straws that are labelled with the patient’s unique identifying information as well as their sample specific RI Witness barcode. The semen is then cooled to –196°C using liquid nitrogen. A sample of the frozen semen is thawed and analysed to assess the viability of the sample going into storage. The remaining straws are then placed into dedicated liquid nitrogen storage tanks and are continuously monitored by temperature sensors and an on-call Embryologist 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.
Before Semen Cryopreservation
Before a patient can undergo semen cryopreservation, they must have recent screening results for infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia. If their infectious disease results are not recent, they may be required to have blood and urine collected for screening before their semen can be cryopreserved.
After Semen Cryopreservation
Oasis patients will have a follow up appointment with one of our Fertility GP’s or Fertility Specialists who will discuss the outcome of the semen cryopreservation appointment and future options for the individual.