Why You Should Consider Buying Sperm in CBS High Security Straws
It is important to understand the type of packaging (straws, vials, etc.) used in donor sperm preservation. Different types of packaging can greatly affect the safety and motility of your sperm sample. Some cryobanks use vials, or traditional straws for packaging donor sperm, but Cryos uses Cryo Bio System or (CBS) straws. Below we discuss how these packaging containers can affect donor sperm.
How Packaging Containers Can Affect Sperm
There are four main types of packaging containers that have been used in the preservation of human sperm. Glass vials, plastic screw-top vials, plastic straws, and CBS straws. All of these types have been used over the development of sperm preservation. These containers can differ in size, in shape, and in the manufacturing material. All of these things play a large role in the safety and quality of the sperm you are about to purchase.
Sperm Cooling and Warming Temperatures
How fast a sperm sample thaws or cools can have a significant impact on the sperm's virility. According to Dr. David Mortimer in BioMedicine Online Journal the fertility rate of semen in straws could be between 6 to 8 times better than sperm frozen in vials. Dr. Mortimer found that vials caused the freezing and thawing of sperm to occur unevenly, which exposed portions of the sperm sample to unfavorable temperatures for longer periods of time.
This caused the sample to become damaged and less fertile due to the length of time the sperm was exposed to the unfavorable temperatures upon freezing and then again upon thawing.
Traditional straws may sound like a better option based on that information, but traditional IMV straws also come with their own set of downsides. Temperature changes in these straws causes the sperm sample to freeze and thaw at a much faster rate because of the thin material the straws are made from. Although this is good for intentional temperature changes, this makes handling sperm in these straws much more difficult.
According to Dr. Mortimer's Article, a preserved sperm sample can warm to temperatures that can damage the sperm cells within 15 seconds in a traditional 0.25ml straw.
Leaks and Contamination
Unlike .5 ml CBS straws, traditional vials and straws are made from materials that are unable to handle rapid temperature changes optimally. When thawing a sperm sample to appropriate temperatures traditional straws are thinner and may become stressed. These stresses can cause fractures on the straw which increases the chances of cracks to occur during storage.
These fractures can also cause sperm samples to become contaminated by germs or other bacteria. Traditional straws that are at the appropriate temperature for preservation are also extremely fragile. These straws can break or explode very easily because they have little to no flexibility at such low temperatures.
How Are CBS Straws Better?
CBS straws, also known as 'High-Security Straws' are made from an ionomeric resin, unlike traditional sperm containers. There have been major improvements in CBS straws when dealing with the problems previously mentioned.
What exactly are the benefits of CBS straws?
- They are guaranteed to be leak-proof even at extremely high pressures when properly sealed using a device called the SYMS sealer.
- These straws are shatterproof at the traditional low temperatures that sperm samples are stored.
- All contents are protected from bacteria and viruses.
- A special nozzle prevents the sperm that is being loaded into the CBS straws from coming into contact with the outside of the straw.
- Each batch of straws undergoes extensive bio-compatibility testing to ensure that the straws are safe, reliable and non-toxic.
- They are sterile, meaning they are free from bacteria or other living microorganisms, in accordance with the European Pharmacopoeia standards.
Lastly check to see what type of containers sperm banks you are considering are currently using and why? Cryos believes that CBS straws are the best choice and will help to ensure the safety, and virility of the donor sperm you are using in trying to conceive your future child.
Contact Cryos
Do you have any questions? Cryos would be more than happy to assist you! Contact us to speak with one of our knowledgeable bilingual Customer Care Coordinators, call us at (407) 203-1175 or email us at [email protected]. We also have a live online chat function that you can access on our website.
We look forward to helping you along your journey to parenthood!