The Importance of Sperm Banking: Preserving Fertility for the Future
Sperm banking is a relatively common process that allows you to preserve your fertility for years. It involves collecting, freezing, and storing sperm cells, helping increase your chances of having children in the future. Let’s break down what you need to know about sperm banking and why it’s important for preserving fertility.
Why Might You Bank Your Sperm?
Sperm banking is a personal decision that can allow you to have children one day if your current situation doesn’t allow you to do so through sexual intercourse. These situations include:
- Health conditions that can cause infertility, like testicular cancer or leukemia
- Certain treatments like chemotherapy or gender affirmation surgery
- Age
- Low sperm count
- Frequent traveling
- Military deployment
- Vasectomy
You can also bank your sperm if you wish to become a donor.
The Sperm Banking Process
Before you bank your sperm, you’ll meet with a clinician for a blood test to check for any sexually transmitted infections (STIs). If your results come back negative, you’ll go to a fertility clinic to officially bank your sperm.
A healthcare provider will take you into a private room and provide you with a small container. You’ll masturbate and use the container to collect your semen. Once collected, the sperm bank will properly label and secure your sample, permanently storing it in a deep freeze storage tank. Let the clinic know at least four weeks in advance before you withdraw your sample for fertility treatment.
Benefits of Storing Sperm
What are the benefits of sperm banking? The biggest perk is fertility. Medical treatments, along with biological and environmental factors, can cause infertility, and sperm banking allows you to store your sperm when it’s healthy. When stored correctly, semen samples can remain healthy and ready to use for years. Additionally, babies conceived with preserved sperm are just as healthy as those conceived naturally. There’s little to lose but a lot to gain by banking your sperm.
Take Charge of Your Future Fertility
Sperm banking can help you preserve your fertility, but how do you know if it’s the right option for you and your family-building goals? When in doubt, speak with an experienced clinician who can guide you through the process and help you make the right choice. To learn more, contact Fertility Center of California today. We’re happy to answer your questions and give you the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.
