How to Choose a Sperm Bank

SpermCenter.com

How to Choose a Sperm Bank Does it matter which sperm bank you use? Yes! Not all sperm banks are created equal. We don't recommend that you select a donor based on the donor description alone, without learning about the sperm bank too. Because many of the factors that differentiate sperm banks are technical in nature, we suggest you ask your doctor or fertility specialist which banks he or she recommends. Here's a short list of some factors to consider when selecting a sperm bank:

	What certifications does the bank have?
	Sperm banks can be accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) or state department of health under CLIA. In addition, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) publishes guidelines that most sperm banks follow. You should always ask the sperm bank what accreditations they have. We list each bank's accreditations on our Sperm Banks page. Click on the sperm banks page for an explanation of the various certifications.

	What sorts of screening does the bank perform?
	One of the most important things the sperm bank does is screen sperm donors and the sperm itself in order to reduce the risk from potentially harmful diseases. In addition, sperm banks measure the sperm's motility. Questions to ask: Do all donors receive a physical exam that includes blood testing? Does the bank review the donor's family medical history going back one or two generations? Does the bank personally interview each donor? Do they perform genetic screening or chromosomal analysis? For more about screening, read this.

	Does the bank track medical history? -- IMPORTANT!
	Tracking the donor's medical history is extremely important. Suppose your donor comes down with a genetic disease after you've already had children using his sperm? Your child could have the same disease. In certain cases, you might be able to use the information to take preventive action to protect your child. It's extremely important to ask the bank: Do you track the donor's medicacl history and will you notify me of any changes? We don't want to scare you--most sperm is thoroughly screened and very safe--but read this article in SELF magazine to see why tracking medical history is so important!

	Does the bank track pregnancies?
	Tracking pregnancies is important for two reasons. First, if you know a pregnancy was reported from a particular donor's sperm, then you know his sperm is capable of fertilizing an egg. Second, tracking pregnancies is the only way to know how many children have already been born from a particular donor. Unfortunately, tracking pregnancies is not always easy, because often women are so happy to be pregnant that they don't report it to the sperm bank.

	What does "ID Release" really mean?
	This topic is so important we've dedicated a whole page to it.

	Does the bank limit the number of donor pregnancies?
	There is no law limiting the number of pregnancies allowed from one donor, but medical professionals agree that the number should be kept low in order to avoid consanguineous complications among offspring conceived by the same donor. Different sperm banks follow different guidelines to limit the number of pregnancies from a single donor.

	How many years has the bank been in business?
	The longer a sperm bank has been in business, the more experience and customers they're likely to have. On our Sperm Banks page, we show the number of years each sperm bank has been in business.

	Does the bank perform a freeze test?
	Some donors' semen freezes better than others'. The sperm bank should perform a freeze test to determine how well the semen freezes.

	Does the bank ship using nitrogen?
	Donor sperm must be frozen to a very cold temperature in order to preserve it for long periods of time. The best way to ship sperm is in a dry nitrogen vapor dewar (a tank kind of like a thermos that's charged with liquid nitrogen). Sperm will stay viable in a nitrogen tank for at least seven days, even longer if the tank is fully charged. Some banks may offer dry ice as an option because it's cheaper, but most fertility specialists don't recommend this.

	What kind of cryoprotectant does the bank use?
	Sperm banks use a cryoprotectant to improve freezability. Some cryoprotectants can cause an allergic reaction which may be serious. For example, egg yolk can cause allergic complications whereas glycerin is safer. Your doctor can recommend a bank whose procedures he/she is comfortable with.