Freezing your sperm and keeping it in a storage can be a great opportunity if you want to preserve your fertility and have children at a later point in your life. There can be different reasons for choosing this option. Here you can learn more about when sperm freezing is relevant and how it works.
What is sperm freezing?
Sperm freezing is the process of storing a sperm sample at -196°C degrees in a storage tank. After thawing, the sperm can be used for fertility treatment. The process allows you to preserve your ability to have children.
Is sperm freezing right for you?
There can be several reasons for having your sperm stored for later use.
A sperm storage could be relevant if you:
- Are considering a vasectomy
- Are facing serious medical treatments in relation to cancer or other diseases that may cause sterility*
- Are in fertility treatment, but cannot be present at the scheduled time of treatment due to international travel, work, etc.
- Are unable to provide a sperm sample on demand when the fertility treatment takes place
- Work with hazardous chemicals that may harm your sperm
- Simply wish to safeguard your ability to reproduce
*When depositing because of chemo/radiation therapy, we recommend that the sperm is collected before treatment begins. If this is not possible, we recommend that you consult the doctor responsible for your treatment for further guidance.
No matter what your reason for sperm freezing, we will be happy to help you.
How long can you store sperm?
Once the sperm is frozen it can, in principle, be stored for the rest of your life. However, the legislation in Cyprus allows you to store your sperm for 10 years. This period can be extended if you have a medical condition.
Once your sperm storage is set up, we will provide you with an online account that you can access here on our website. From there, you can easily renew your storage period. You will start by paying for 1 year of storage, and if you wish to keep the storage for a longer period, you will have to renew the storage annually.
How does sperm freezing work?
If you wish to freeze and store your sperm at Cryos, you will have to go through a few steps. Find out below how to get started and what to do to make use of your storage in the future.
1. Contact us
Contact our Cryos department in Nicosia, Cyprus to book an appointment.
2. Consultation at Cryos
At the consultation with the Cryos staff you will have the possibility to discuss your options based on your specific situation.
3. Sperm sample
After the consultation, you will be asked to hand in a sperm sample to Cryos. We have private rooms where you can take your time to make the sample.
4. Blood test and sperm analysis
Next up is a sperm analysis to assess the quality of your sperm and whether it is suitable for freezing. We will also need a blood test to check for certain infectious diseases. The blood test is mandatory when depositing sperm. The tests can be performed either at our facilities for an additional fee or by your own physician. We will need the test results to set up your storage. Therefore, please make sure the test results are brought or forwarded to Cryos as soon as possible if the test is performed at your own physician.
5. The sperm is frozen and stored
Your sperm sample will be frozen and stored at Cryos until you are ready to use it in fertility treatment.
6. Get your sperm delivered from the storage
When you need your sperm for fertility treatment, you can login to your online Cryos account and request transfer of your sperm samples. We will then ship the frozen samples in a nitrogen tank to a fertility clinic of your choice.
In case you no longer need to have your sperm samples stored at Cryos, you can terminate your storage from your online account. Your sperm samples will then be destroyed.
How much does it cost to freeze sperm?
Below you can get an overview of the sperm storage costs and the related services at Cryos.
|
Blood test for infectious diseases (one-time payment)* |
100 EUR |
|
Sperm analysis and cryopreservation (up to 3 samples) and 1 year of storage** |
500 EUR |
|
Additional cost for emergency sperm freezing outside normal working hours (per sample) |
250 EUR |
|
Yearly storage renewal |
315 EUR |
*This is the cost for having the blood test performed at Cryos. You can also have the test performed at your own physician and have the results forwarded to Cryos.
**This freezing package is in line with the requirements for receiving subsidy from the Cyprus Ministry of Health in connection with sperm storage for medical reasons. Please see below for more information.
Possible subsidy provided by the Cyprus Ministry of Health
Cyprus Ministry of Health offers a subsidy for men doing fertility preservation like sperm freezing. With this subsidy, your costs may be covered up to 500 EUR. Terms and conditions apply. You can learn more and find out if you are eligible for the subsidy here.
Are you ready to plan your sperm freezing?
If you would like to do sperm freezing at Cryos, you can contact us here. We will then be happy to help you through the process and answer any questions you might have.
If you were looking for information on how to become a sperm donor, you can learn more about becoming a sperm donor at Cryos here.