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You could probably guess that sperm banks provide sperm to people trying to conceive. But did you know that sperm banks offer services beyond just the sperm sample? Whether you’re looking to store frozen eggs or connect with others in a like-minded community, a sperm bank may have just what you need. 

Sperm, Egg, and Embryo Storage

Sperm banks have sophisticated storage facilities that house thousands of sperm samples, eggs, and embryos for decades. You don’t have to buy sperm from that sperm bank to use its storage facilities – but you certainly can store any purchased sperm there.

Sperm Storage

Many people store their own sperm at sperm banks for future use when their current fertility may be impacted. Men about to start chemotherapy, for example, may want to store sperm in case the treatments affect their fertility. Transgender individuals starting gender-affirming hormone therapy may want to store sperm to conceive children in the future. 

Some surgeries and occupations put men at higher risk of damage to their reproductive organs. Men who have testicular or prostate surgeries may want to store sperm beforehand, in case the surgery affects their ability to reproduce. Similarly, men who are at a higher risk of injury due to jobs in sports, the military, or construction may want to store sperm. 

Creating a sperm sample is easy, and you can even mail in your sperm sample with a Sperm Freezing Kit.

Egg Storage

Mature eggs can be removed from a woman’s ovaries and stored for many years. The eggs do not need to be fertilized with sperm in order to be stored, and once thawed they can be used to create embryos. 

A woman may choose to freeze her eggs because she hasn’t found the right partner or wants to wait to have children. She may want to freeze eggs before starting chemotherapy or another treatment that could affect fertility. As with sperm-producing transgender individuals, egg-producing transgender individuals may want to freeze their eggs before starting gender-affirming hormone therapy.

Embryo Storage

If you’ve completed your IVF cycle and still have frozen embryos, you can store those embryos at a sperm bank. Frozen embryos remain viable for years and can be used for future pregnancies. Fertility clinics may not have room to store your embryos, or they may not be able to keep them for extended periods. You can choose to have your frozen embryos transferred to a sperm bank, where they’ll stay until you want to use them. 

Directed (Known) Donor Assistance

If you have a directed or known sperm donor that you would like to use, Fairfax Cryobank can perform the same rigorous screening on your known donor as it does on all anonymous donors. This screening will give you information about your known donor’s medical history, physical examination, infectious disease status, and semen quality. Fairfax Cryobank will process the semen sample for use with your desired fertility method, and you can store any unused semen for future use. 

This process can alert you to any medical issues in your known donor that may affect your ability to have a healthy child. You can still use the samples even if they are deemed “ineligible” by FDA standards. But you’ll have the information you need to weigh the risks and benefits and make an informed decision for you and your baby.

Family Forums

Fairfax Cryobanks’s Family Forums allow parents to connect online with others who have used the same donor. Family Forums run by the sperm bank ensure that participants in donor-specific groups are verified, making the communities a safe space. You can also use Family Forums to search for blog posts and discussions about issues such as trying to conceive or selecting a donor. 

You don’t need to have a child already in order to use the Forums. As a prospective parent, you can use the Family Forum to read about a variety of topics, such as choosing a donor or managing infertility. You can stay up to date on new donors, by reading through posts about their traits and backgrounds. You also can connect with others through posts and messages in a supportive environment. If you’re interested in signing up for the Family Forums, visit the link here.

Fairfax Cryobank Services

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