Cryo-Preservation / Banking / Storage
IVF- Orange and IVF La Jolla are licensed by the State of California, CLIA, Tissue Banking and the FDA. We are committed to providing cryopreservation services for Semen and Embryos.
Semen Banking
The Semen Freezing Process
1. The California State Department of Health requires that all tissue donors (self, husband, anonymous and known donors) are screened for infectious diseases prior or on the day you collect your first semen sample.
The current law labs are as follow:
HIV I and II antibody
HTLV I and II antibody
Hepatitis C antibody - HCV
Hepatitis B surface antigen - HepBsAg
Syphilis -RPR
2. Make an appointment to collect a semen sample. All services require an appointment.
3. Abstain from ejaculation for two to five days prior to your appointment
4. On the first visit, bring Photo ID. Sign and fill out all forms and consents as well as blood draw for law labs (copy of blood screening if done elsewhere).
5 The next day, call back to discuss results and the number of vials needed to be collected and stored.
Fees
(Fees are subject to change without notice)
Semen Banking:
Initial Sperm Freezing with CSA.......................$ 240
Subsequent Sperm Freezing............................$ 200
Initial Blood Test (LawLabs)............................$ 200
Sperm / Embryo Storage:
1 month.........................................................$ 70
1 year............................................................$ 300
2 year............................................................$ 550
3 year............................................................$ 750
Andrology Tests:
Complete Semen Analysis (CSA).......................$ 110
Complete Semen Analysis
(CSA - with 3h - 6h motility reading)............$ 140
Partial Semen Analysis.......................................$ 70
Semen Preparation:
Basic Sperm Wash..............................................$ 150
Gradient Wash....................................................$ 190
Gender Preselection (Male or Female)................$ 570
Semen collection:
Please call for an appointment.
Optimally, samples are collected in our private collection room. Samples should be collected in a sterile laboratory container provided by our center or your physician. Samples collected elsewhere should be brought to our laboratory within one hour of collection and kept at body temperature during transport.
How is Semen Cryopreserved?
The semen sample is first examined and analyzed for Count, Motility, Motility Grade ... microscopically. Depending on the volume and number of motile sperm in the original sample, the semen sample either needs to be washed (IUI ready) or Unwashed (ICI) and the number of vials divided into 1.0 ml. The sample is then mixed with a cryoprotectant solution to provide protection during freezing and thawing. The cryoprotected sample is placed in the special plastic cryo-vial. Each sample vial is labeled with the Client Name, ID Code, Date, Vial Number, Type of Freezing with a permanent marker by a licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS). Each freezing, there will be a small volume of semen, “test- freeze” vial to help determine the % of sperm surviving the freezing process. The vials are slowly cooled in the vapor phase then immersed in liquid nitrogen tank at a temperature of -196°C (- 371 °F).
How many semen vials does one need to store?
The number of vials to be stored depends on may factors, such as semen quality, assisted technology, medical background of recipient and time constraints. The patient, with the advice from the physician, needs to decide on how many samples to freeze. The number of vials depends entirely on the count and motility after freezing. Most physicians recommend vials, after thawing, contain at least 10-20 million of motile sperm. The goal is to preserve a reasonable amount of vials to produce a pregnancy.
We recommend at least 6 vials for one future pregnancy. Vials can be use for artificial insemination (IUI) or in Advance Reproductive Technique (ART) such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
Length of time semen may be frozen?
The viability of cryopreserved semen may be maintained indefinitely under liquid nitrogen -196°C (- 371 °F). However, generally we suggest to our clients to store vials up to 10 years. Problems such as birth defects, miscarriage and tubal factors are possible in any pregnancy. There is no increased risk of any of these problems associated with cryopreserved semen.