Frozen sperm can last indefinitely if stored properly, but has a viability window of 24 hours after thawing. Sperm, eggs, and embryos can be frozen, but sperm is the most durable. Proper preparation and storage are crucial, and thawed sperm must be used within 24 hours.
Frozen sperm prepared well and stored under the proper conditions has the potential to last indefinitely until thawed, at which point it has a viability window of approximately 24 hours. Men can store sperm for a variety of reasons, and storage costs vary by facility. It is also possible to freeze eggs and embryos, although they tend to be more fragile than sperm and are more prone to failure in the freezer.
Before a doctor can freeze the sperm, the patient usually needs some tests to check for conditions such as syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), particularly if the sperm is going to a sperm bank for use in a donation program. If the patient has a clean bill of health, she can send a semen sample. A technician checks the sample for motility and other characteristics to determine if it is viable. If it is not or borderline, the technician may recommend not freezing because the sperm may not survive the freezing and thawing process.
Preparing sperm for freezing is important. Different techniques are in use in various facilities. One of the best is a process called vitrification, which relies on very rapid freezing to prepare frozen sperm. This can reduce the risk of damage to the sperm and also removes sperm-associated plasma, which can reduce the risk of disease transmission. Studies of the freezing process do not suggest that it causes any genetic damage, and babies resulting from frozen sperm are not at increased risk for genetic disorders.
Proper storage conditions for frozen semen are critical. Cryopreservation facilities use racks and drawers to control samples in storage, both to ensure that samples are not mixed, and to maintain appropriate space and placement to create optimal freezing conditions. If sperm cells are stored haphazardly, they can be subject to damage. The facility also maintains very stable temperatures to keep the sperm frozen. Alarm systems alert technicians when temperatures drop outside safe limits.
Frozen sperm can be thawed carefully under controlled conditions and used in assisted fertility procedures. Thawed sperm does not live as long as fresh sperm and must be used within approximately 24 hours to be viable. Frozen semen can be stored in batches so that if something goes wrong, another sample will be available for you to use. As long as conditions are good and the sperm was well prepared when frozen, it could be usable decades later.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
