Sperm Banking

Are you looking to donate your sperm or use a sperm bank to conceive a baby? In Great Neck, Long Island, board-certified urologist Bruce R Gilbert, MD, PhD, offers cutting-edge sperm banking services. His facility is Long Island’s only New York State-licensed sperm bank for long-term semen specimen storage. Schedule an evaluation with Dr. Gilbert by phone or request one online today to learn more.

What is sperm banking?

Sperm banking, also known as sperm cryopreservation or sperm freezing, is a procedure to preserve sperm cells for future use. The process involves several steps:

1. Collection: Sperm is collected through ejaculation or other methods if necessary. This is typically done in a private room at a fertility clinic or hospital.

2. Analysis: The sperm sample is analyzed for volume, count, motility (movement), and morphology (shape).

3. Preparation: The sperm is mixed with a cryoprotectant, a substance that helps protect the sperm cells during the freezing process.

4. Freezing: The prepared sperm is gradually cooled to a very low temperature and then stored in liquid nitrogen at about -196°C (-320°F). This process can preserve the sperm for many years.

5. Storage: The frozen sperm is stored in a sperm bank until needed.

Sperm banking is often used by men who want to preserve their fertility before undergoing medical treatments (such as chemotherapy) that might affect their fertility or by those who wish to delay fatherhood for personal or professional reasons. It is also an option for men who are exposed to hazardous conditions that might affect their sperm quality.

Do I need to visit the New York Cryo laboratory for sperm banking?

An in-office appointment to either drop off or generate a specimen on-site is the preferred method for sperm banking. However, that is not always possible. Hospitalized patients or those confined to their home or at a distance from the sperm bank have alternatives.

Hospitalized Patients can have their semen specimens cryopreserved (frozen) before they undergo chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. The Lab can arrange to pick up the specimens after consulting with prospective patients.

At-Home Sperm Banking is available using our UrgentPak Collection kit. We use an FDA-cleared container that provides 48 hours of specimen stability. Read more At-Home sperm banking here.

What sperm banking services are available?

New York Cryo is a New York-licensed reproductive tissue bank in the office of Bruce R Gilbert, MD, PhD, PC. Offering comprehensive services, including (click links for additional information):

• Long-term storage for men wanting to preserve sperm for use with a sexually intimate partner
• Eligibility determination and storage of sperm to be used with a known recipient 
• Eligibility determination and storage of sperm for use with a gestational carrier 
• Processing and storage of surgically retrieved testicular tissue specimens
• Processing and storage of surgically retrieved vas deferens and epididymal fluid specimens

New York Cryo stores male reproductive tissues. 24/7 availability when needed for sperm banking.

Who is a candidate for sperm banking?

Many people choose sperm banking, particularly men with fertility issues or those undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other cancer treatments. Storing healthy sperm may allow you and your partner to become pregnant in the future using fertility treatments. You might also use sperm banking after donating your sperm.

NY State defines three types of men who use sperm banking:

• Client depositor: a man who stores tissue for use with their partner
• Directed donor: a man who stores sperm for a nonintimate recipient they know
• Anonymous donor: a man donating sperm for an unknown person

Donors undergo comprehensive testing by a licensed tissue bank. New York Cryo is a licensed reproductive tissue bank for all Client depositors and DIrected donors, including those storing sperm for use with a gestational carrier (surrogate).  New York Cryo does not offer services for anonymous donors.

What can I expect during the sperm banking process?

Before donating sperm, you undergo testing required by the NY State Department of Health and the FDA (Federal Drug Administration. Dr. Gilbert discusses your medical history, completes a physical exam, and collects a blood sample.

Once you donate sperm, the andrology lab completes a semen analysis and sperm processing, which allows the sperm to be used for intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Stored sperm is frozen to ensure specimen survival until it’s needed.

The lab can also process and store reproductive tissue from testicular sperm retrieval (TESE) and microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA).

To learn more about your sperm banking options, schedule a consultation at Bruce R Gilbert MD, PhD, PC, request an appointment online today or call us at 516-487-2700. 

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