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Semen Freezing, Fertility Preservation and Donor Sperm

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Semen Freezing and Fertility Preservation
For whom?

Patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment:

  • Semen freezing or cryopreservation can be done for husbands who cannot be present at the time of their wife’s egg retrieval procedure or on the day of wife’s IUI.
  • For patients with poor sperm count or with severe oligospermia (sperm count < 5 million/ml) we might ask you for repeat samples to be frozen with us.
  • We at Janini IVF, the best surrogacy centre in Delhi NCR, we have almost full recovery of sperms after freezing and freezing/thawing sperms is something we routinely do for almost all couples. The reason for doing it for all couples awaiting IVF is, many times we have seen that the husband on the day of oocyte pick-up (egg retrieval) gets anxiety and is not able to give the sample. This is very common and happens because of stress or tension. In order to ensure that our goal is not hindered, we keep a reserve sample of the husband’s semen frozen with us while the wife is receiving ovarian stimulation. This helps a lot on the day of egg retrieval.
  • In spite of having a back-up sample as mentioned above, we do ask the husband to give a fresh sample on the day of the pick-up. If he gives a good sample then fresh sperm are used.

For freezing very few sperms or freezing testicular tissue extracted at the time of micro-TESE or testicular biopsy

  • Janini IVF, the best IVF center in Delhi, takes pride in the fact that its director Dr Rutvij Dalal is one of the few FNB degree holders in the country with special training in male infertility. Dr Dalal has received training in a procedure called micro-TESE under the renowned Dr Sandro Esteves from one of the best Andrology institutes in the world - Androfert at Sao Paulo, Brazil.
  • Again, the chief embrylogist at Janini IVF, who is perhaps even a more important person than the doctor, is someone who has over 15 years of experience in handling testicular tissue to successfully harvest sperms. She received special training in male infertility at none other than the University of Oxford, where from she did her post-graduation.
  • We know what in cases of Azoospermia, even a few sperms obtained from TESE are precious. These sperms just cannot be frozen by the conventional methods - they need special care, skill and technical expertise. At Janini IVF, all these we have. Sometimes even a few sperms in frozen in special vitrification devices so that we can utilise them in the future and the patient doesn’t have to go for a repeat testicular surgery.
  • With all humility and modesty we would not be hesitant in saying that when it comes to male infertility and treating Azoospermia patients, we are really good in what we do and are one of the best!

Patients for fertility preservation:

  • Fertility preservation is done for young patients or men diagnosed with cancer. Cancer diagnosis is a very stressful news in anybody’s life. We understand the emotional turmoil that these patients are going through. Cancer specialists unfortunately do not have sufficient foresight or concern about the patient’s future fertility because that is not their domain. Most of the cancer therapies - be it radiotherapy or chemotherapy are gonadotoxic. In other words, the therapy given for cancer would definitely render the man infertile because sperms will no longer be produced in the damaged testis.
  • Sometimes we get requests from men wanting to freeze their semen due to their military duty or occupational risks or because they have a poor sperm count which might progress to zero count in future.
  • We see such couples or single men and ask them to have their semen samples frozen with us. Semen freezing is totally safe and effective. The survival rate of sperm after thawing is close to 100%. We usually take 5-6 samples of semen from these men (or as many as time permits before cancer treatment) so that they can also dream of having their own family once they marry or once they decide to have kids.
  • Sperm can be frozen for many years with no damage to the sample whatsoever. Presently we are freezing the samples for 10 years.

Frequently asked questions

Will semen freezing cause any damage to sperms?

None whatsoever. We have in almost all cases full recovery of sperm potential and motility. Frozen-thawed sperms are just like fresh sperms.

Will babies born out of frozen sperm be normal?

There is ample evidence to show that freezing sperm does not cause any change in the genetic makeup nor leads to any damage in the offspring. Babies born out of embryos made from frozen sperm do not have a higher incidence of birth defects, nor do they have any increase chance of any psychological long term effects.

How is the semen frozen?

Semen is gradually mixed with a cryoprotectant media and filled in small aliquots into cryovials. These cryovials are then first made to cool over nitrogen vapour for a specific time and then finally plunged into liquid nitrogen at -196 degree celcius where they stay suspended for as long as we like.

Any chance of mixing sperm samples with someone else?

This is a common concern and hence we want to mention here that please be assured, at Janini IVF there is no chance of that happening whatsoever. We make double, rather triple sure that the sample given by you will only represent you and no-one else. (i) The sample given in the collection room remains in a properly marked and labelled container with your full name (and wife’s name) at all times, (ii) a “matcher” program inside the lab where all samples have a unique reference ID saved in a computer and also (iii) double-witnessing wherein two embryologists handle all samples at all times and make double sure that the samples are not switched.

Do you run sperm donor programs?

Of course, sperm donor program is one of the important fertility treatments we offer. Donor sperms could be used in an IUI or IVF (or ICSI) procedure. Some of the indications of using donor sperms include couples suffering from intractable non-obstructive azoospermia (i.e. zero sperm count due to total failure of the testis), single women coming for fertility, male infertility patients not willing to go for micro-TESE or testicular biopsy, or azoospermic patients not wiling to go for advanced treatment but opting for donor sperm IUI for cost reasons.

Where from you procure donor sperm samples and how is it done?

Janini IVF, providing the best female infertility treatment in Delhi, is affiliated with some the largest certified sperm banks who function strictly according to the ICMR guidelines. We affiliate with only those third party banks who rigorously adhere to accepted norms. All the sperm samples that are frozen are taken from certain selected, screened and healthy donors. All samples are strictly quarantined for 6 months to rule out window period of HIV. (What is quarantining? - It is a process when the sample is kept aside, not to be used for 6 months. Reason behind that is the HIV test takes a few months to become positive after exposure. When a donor comes to donate a sperm sample, his blood is taken for HIV test. But what if he got infected recently and is in window period? To prevent even this small chance, he is tested again after 6 months. For this 6 months his sperm sample is marked and quarantined so that it cannot be used.). All donor samples would have necessary details like height, weight, education and IQ level, caste, eye color, skin color, blood group, etc. available for your reference. All such donors would also have been tested for viral infections and certain genetic conditions.

Will this process be confidential?

At Janini IVF we know the importance of privacy and sensitivity of the treatments we offer. Rest assured, the treatment you are receiving will be kept strictly confidential.

How is documentation done?

Once you have confirmed to us that you want to go for donor sperm treatment (either IUI or IVF) you will both husband and wife be required to sign consent forms agreeing to do the same. The salient phenotypic features of the donor will be shared with you but not his identity. Similarly, your identity would not reach the donor or the sperm bank. These protocols are as per the ICMR guidelines.

What is the chance of success with donor sperm IUI and donor sperm IVF?

We would say around 12-18% per attempt in donor IUI cycle and about 70% in donor IVF/ICSI cycle (per embryo transfer attempt). But success rate depends a lot many factors, some of which are age of the wife, type of infertility, quality and number of eggs, uterine health, presence of PCOS or endometriosis, etc.
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Janini IVF
A3/12, First Floor Paschim Vihar, New delhi - 110063
+91 9717 99 66 55
011-25 25 66 55
info@janiniivf.com

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