Information about working with sperm banks
Many men and women who utilize the support of our Nashville fertility clinic want to know more about working with sperm banks. Intended parents may need to utilize donor sperm for many reasons. To help with the process of donor selection, including the shipment of the specimen and other factors involved in this journey, information is included below.
Who needs choose to work with sperm banks?
Various circumstances can make men and women the right candidates for donor sperm.
Men with infertility issues. If fertility testing reveals that a man does not have healthy sperm, utilizing a donor could be the most effective next step on the path to parenthood.
Single women. A woman choosing to conceive without a male partner may need to work with a sperm bank.
Same-sex couples. Same-sex female couples wanting to have a child through IVF or intrauterine insemination (IUI) will require donor sperm.
Commonly asked questions
How can intended parents select the right donor? When working with a sperm bank, intended parents discover they have many options, as most sperm banks offer a wide array of donors. To find their ideal donor, patients can search through donor profiles which offer information about the donors’ physical characteristics, hobbies, family health history, education and more.
Should intended parents purchase enough sperm for a sibling cycle? Even if intended parents are unsure whether they’ll want to do a sibling cycle, it can be wise to purchase enough sperm from the same donor to do more than one cycle. The extra sperm can remain frozen and stored for later use.
What are the options for sperm banks? We strongly recommend you use a FDA-regulated sperm bank when selecting donor sperm, which has gone through extensive infectious disease and genetic testing, to make it as safe as possible. There are many options for sperm banks, so check with your team before ordering. The most frequently used banks we work with are Fairfax Cryobank, Seattle Sperm Bank, Midwest Sperm Bank, Reproductive Resources, and California Cryobank.
How is sperm sent to the fertility clinic? Often, the sperm banks will be able to directly ship sperm to Nashville Fertility Center for safe keeping.
For example, Fairfax Cryobank’s easy-to-use Donor Search tool helps you narrow down your selection based on the characteristics most important to you. Once you select a donor and place the order, Fairfax Cryobank will handle the rest – coordinating shipping to Nashville Fertility Center.
Our patients receive free storage for 6 months with any vial purchase through Fairfax Cryobank.
Contact us to learn more about working with sperm banks.
