What is sperm banking?

Sperm banking, also called sperm cryopreservation or semen storage, involves the collection and preservation of sperm. Many men decide to store their sperm if they have been diagnosed with a serious disease or face an operation that can affect their ability to conceive. Sperm banking is also used by men who want to wait until they are older to have a child but may fear their sperm quality will decrease, thus making it difficult to conceive. Sperm banking is not to be confused with sperm bank activities related to donor sperm or sperm donation.

If you want to learn more about the activities performed in sperm banks, follow the link to our pages regarding the questions of what is a sperm bank and what is a sperm donor.

Who needs to bank their sperm?

Sperm banking is an option for various people. Several circumstances may force you to consider sperm banking. Some of the people that might consider sperm banking are:

Cancer patients: Chemotherapy can affect your fertility and sperm quality, thus decreasing your chances of conceiving. Some cancer patients may need surgery, that could affect their reproductive system, as part of their treatment.
Men about to have a vasectomy: Before you receive a vasectomy, you may want to ensure your possibility of having a child by freezing and storing your sperm.
Transgender individuals: Before gender-affirming treatments, you may want to ensure the possibility of conceiving by freezing and storing sperm cells for future use.

How does sperm banking work and is it safe?

There is no risk attached to sperm banking, as it is considered a safe and effective method of preserving your ability to conceive. The process of sperm banking follows these steps:

Sperm sample: You start by providing a sperm sample. The sperm is collected by ejaculating in a small plastic container. You can make the sample at home or in a private room at one of our locations in Aarhus, Aalborg, Copenhagen, or Odense. We recommend sexual abstinence two days before ejaculation.
Analysis: The next step is to evaluate the sperm quality of the sperm sample. Three factors are analyzed to determine sperm quality: sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm morphology.
Processing: If the quality is high, the sperm is mixed with a cryo-protectant and separated into sperm straws, sometimes also called vials, for storage.
Freezing and storage: The sperm straws are placed in a cryo-tank, ensuring they reach a temperature of -196°C.
Thawing and future use: Once you decide to use the sperm, you can contact the sperm bank to have your frozen sperm delivered to a fertility clinic for treatment.

How effective is sperm banking?

Sperm banking is a reliable method for those seeking to maintain their fertility. Before your sperm is stored, our laboratory technicians test the sperm cells’ ability to survive the freezing process. The sperm cells must preserve their ability to fertilize the egg.

How much does it cost to bank sperm?

The cost of banking your sperm depends on the length of the storage period. At Cryos, the initial cost of sperm analysis, freezing, and mandatory health tests is EUR 543.75. See below for more information about the cost of sperm analysis:

Sperm analysis per sample: EUR 93.75
Freezing per sample: EUR 237.50
Mandatory health test (a one-time payment)*: EUR 212.50 / DKK 1,572.50

*It is mandatory for partner donors to be tested for anti-HIV 1/2, HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HCV. See the directions of the Danish Ministry of Health nr. 9356 pkt. 4.1 of 26.05.2015

These prices are for sperm storage in one of our locations in Denmark.

You must choose a storage period for the sperm when you set up sperm storage. The minimum period is three months - see the table below for all options and prices:

3 months: EUR 87.50 / DKK 647.50
6 months: EUR 150 / DKK 1.110
1 year: EUR 237.50 / DKK 1,757.50
3 years: EUR 600 / DKK 4,440
5 years: EUR 825 / DKK 6,105
10 years: EUR 1,500 / DKK 11,100

If you are interested in having your sperm banked at Cryos, then contact our Customer Care Team. You can also follow the link to read more about the cost of using donor sperm for fertility treatment.