Ordering & Shipping FAQs

Please be sure to read and understand our Terms of Use Letter which explains what to expect from our semen donor program and what we expect from you when purchasing our semen and other services. The Terms of Use Letter must be signed and returned to us prior to shipment of any donor specimens. The form may be returned by fax, mail or a scanned image into an email.

Our Client Services team is available to answer any questions throughout the ordering process!

• I need to place an order for donor sperm, do I place the order with you or do I contact my physician?

  Please contact [email protected] for assistance.

• When do I need to place my order?

  We recommend placing your order as soon as you know the date your physician wants the units delivered to ensure donor availability; preferably one week prior to your scheduled procedure. You can place your order and establish a shipping date up to thirty days in advance. If your procedure is more than 30 days away you can also place an order to put into storage. Read more about our  Vial Buy and Store/Vial Buy Back options.

• What type of sperm preparation do I need?

  This depends on the type of procedure you will undergo (artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization (IVF) with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) ) and what your health care professional prefers. Our IUI (washed) and ICI (standard) prepared specimens can be used for artificial insemination. Our IUI specimens have been washed to remove the seminal plasma and are ready for an intrauterine insemination. Our ICI specimens can be used for an intracervical insemination or can be prepared at your physician’s office for an intrauterine insemination. The IVF as well as the ICI can be used for in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection and both preps will need further processing at your health care provider’s office. Before placing your order it is best to consult your physician regarding which sperm preparation to order.

• How many sperm vials do I need to order?

  Typically, 1-2 vial(s) are used per procedure or cycle. However, it is best to consult with your physician as the number you’ll need may vary. You may wish to purchase multiple units for future cycles or family building and place into storage at Fairfax Cryobank.

• How is my order shipped to the UK?

  We use FedEx International, which is a flat fee of $320 USD and takes 1-3 business days, depending on customs.

  We also work with FedEx within the UK, which is also a flat fee of $320 USD and arrives within 1 business day.

• What type of information do I need to place an order?

  • Health care provider’s name, address, and phone number

  • Shipping address (if different than provider’s address)

  • Patient name, address, and phone number (or your customer number if you have placed other orders)

  • Donor number(s) in order of preference

  • Number of vials and preparation type (ICI, IUI or IVF)

  • Payment information.

  • Signed and returned Terms of Use letter

• What should I do once I place my order?

  Fairfax Cryobank suggests calling your health care provider once you have placed the order with the delivery information. You will need your order number, donor number and preparation type to complete our online pregnancy report form.

• Do I have to open an account?

  Fairfax Cryobank requires that all clients be under the care of a health care professional and that the health care professional establish an account with us. Patients do not have to open an account with us to purchase donor information or donor sperm. Your physician can contact customer service and have the forms mailed or faxed to them. If you place an order for donor sperm to go into storage at Fairfax Cryobank you will open a storage account.

• I’m not sure if my physician has an account set up with you- what should I do?

  You may contact the customer service department and ask them to search the database for your health care professional or contact your health care provider. If your physician does not have an account they can set up, we can fax or mail the forms to your physician.

• Does Fairfax Cryobank have a return policy?

  Once donor sperm vials have been shipped out, Fairfax Cryobank cannot accept them back for credit; however, you can return them to be placed into a storage account. You may return any unused specimens purchased at regular prices, and have never left Fairfax Cryobank, to receive half the original purchase price back. Please note that our Vial Buy Back program is not offered on specimens that have been transferred by the original owner.

• I have selected a donor but am not completely ready to place my order- can you hold units?

  Fairfax Cryobank offers a 7 day courtesy hold with no obligation. This service is only available for donors with more than 20 vials available. Please contact Client Services and ask to place a “7 day hold order”. You will need to contact customer service by the 7^th day with the ship date or instructions to place the vial(s) in storage. If we do not hear from you by 8PM EST on the 7^th day the order is automatically cancelled.

• What type of storage options do you offer if I want to purchase and store sperm for a particular donor?

  Fairfax Cryobank offers storage terms for storage accounts ranging from 1 month to yearly long-term contracts. Purchasing units to put into a storage account is a great way to ensure that vials from the donor you have selected are available for both current and future cycles. Please see our vial buy and store information and our Fees for storage pricing options.

• What forms are required to store specimens with Fairfax?

  Our Terms of Use Agreement, which is a document that is signed before you place your first semen order, includes all of our storage terms.  The only additional form required is our Billing Agreement, which can be signed electronically online, here. Please note a signed billing agreement is required whether or not you have free storage.

• What should I do when I’m ready to ship out of my storage account?

  When you desire to remove part, or all of the specimens, you may contact Fairfax Cryobank and give instructions as to the (a) number of doses to be removed, (b) the name and address of where it should be delivered, and (c) the date to arrive. A $45 handling and inventory processing fee will be charged each time specimens are removed from storage. Charges for shipment will depend on the method and time of delivery.

• How are the specimens stored?

  All semen specimens are stored at -196°C in liquid nitrogen tanks equipped with automatic fill devices and alarm systems. Fairfax Cryobank also provides liquid nitrogen transport tanks for shipping patient specimens to their physician or health care provider when requested for use.

• How long can you store frozen sperm?

  Cryopreserved specimens, when properly stored, will remain viable for an indefinite amount of time. Pregnancies have been reported for cases in which the sperm has been stored for 30 years prior to thawing and insemination.

• How are the sperm specimens shipped?

  All of our specimens are shipped in liquid nitrogen vapor tanks via FedEx. The liquid nitrogen vapor tank is inside of a hard-outer case. The inner canister (vapor tank) is fastened using a cable tie to prevent tampering. Shipping papers are contained inside the outer case which contains a packing slip with the following information about your order: your health care provider’s name and address, your name and address, your donor number and specimen preparation, number of vials, and post thaw count and motility for each units. Also included are a summary of records detailing the donor testing and a statement of donor eligibility, specimen thawing instructions, return instructions and prepaid return labels.

• Do you ship sperm specimens on dry ice?

  No, Fairfax Cryobank stores all of its specimens in liquid nitrogen, which has a temperature of -196 degrees centigrade. Dry ice has a temperature of -78.5 degrees centigrade that is far above the temperature in which we store specimens and can result in a partial thaw process that is detrimental to the quality of the samples. For this reason Fairfax Cryobank does not ship samples on dry ice.

• How long are the specimens maintained frozen in the shipping tanks?

  Our international shipping tanks have a guarantee of 14 days.

• I’m not sure when my procedure is scheduled but want to go ahead and order donor sperm, what are my options?

  Check with your physician about the storage capabilities they offer. If storing the specimens at your doctor’s office is an option, you can go ahead and place your order and have them shipped to be stored at your physician’s office until needed. If your physician does not offer storage you can order specimens to put into storage at our facility and have them shipped when you know when you will need them. Additionally, you could place an order on courtesy hold for 7 business days and you would need to contact customer service by the 7^th day with the ship date or instructions to place the specimen(s) in storage.

• What payment methods does Fairfax Cryobank accept?

  We accept all major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. We also accept money orders and cashier checks.

  Fairfax Cryobank must receive payment before any order leaves our facility.