How Sperm Banks Work
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What Is a Sperm Bank?
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A sperm bank is a facility that gathers, filters and dispenses sperm. Sperm banks also work as the middle man between clients and donors. Donors typically join a sperm bank's donor program, usually committing to visit the sperm bank once per week.
Typical Donor Process
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When a donor arrives for his weekly appointment, he is shown to a private room, where he is asked to provide a sample into an empty container. The donor then takes his sample to a technician.
Some donors choose to provide samples from the comfort of their own homes. The donor then overnight his sample using a Priority Mail Overnight Collection Kit. Most of the major sperm banks accept overnight delivery.
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Screening the Samples
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After the technician receives the sample, she must screen it for STDs or hereditary concerns. Samples are typically screened for everything from Tay Sachs disease to HIV. The sperm is then quarantined for 6 months and retested before it can be dispensed to a possible recipient.
Preserving the Sperm
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Sperm samples are frozen for later use through a process known as cryopreservation. Samples are treated with a solution that protects them from harm during the freezing and thawing process. The samples are then poured into vials, sealed and finally frozen in liquid nitrogen vapor at a temperature of -320 degrees F.
Withdrawing a Sample
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Recipients typically begin the donation process by making an appointment with a qualified physician. This physician works with the sperm bank to receive the samples. According to one of the major sperm donation centers, Fairfax Cryobanks, sperm should usually be requested by a doctor 2 weeks before it is actually needed by the client.
Using a Sperm Bank as Storage
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Some men use sperm banks as a biological safety deposit box, or a place to keep their sperm until it is needed. Costs depend on how many vials of sperm are held and for the length of time they will stay in storage.
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