Preserve Your Fertility with Sperm Freezing
Many people want to become parents, but they are not always ready to have children when they are young and fertile. Other issues can interfere with fertility as well, such as health conditions or medical treatment. When circumstances threaten a person’s ability to have children, they can consider fertility preservation.
The most common form of male fertility preservation is sperm freezing. Sperm freezing allows men to collect a viable sperm sample and preserve it for future use. At the Los Angeles Reproductive Center, fertility specialists assist our Encino, Bakersfield, and Los Angeles, CA, patients in preserving fertility with sperm freezing, so that they are able to start a family on their own timeframe, despite potential fertility concerns.
When to Consider Sperm Freezing
People may sometimes think that fertility preservation is only for individuals who are choosing to have a child when they are older, or beyond the fertile stage of life, but that is only one potential reason for sperm freezing. Some of the most common reasons that our male patients look into sperm freezing is:
- Age - Male fertility is often not impacted by age to the same degree that female fertility is, but age is still an important consideration when starting a family. When men father a child later in life the risk of birth defects is higher. That risk can be diminished with sperm freezing.
- Cancer/cancer treatment - Certain cancers, such as testicular cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia, can negatively impact the male reproductive organs. When diagnosed with these types of cancers, sperm freezing offers a way to preserve fertility. Similarly, certain cancer treatments can negatively affect sperm quality or lead to male sterility.
- Low sperm count - Low sperm count can make it difficult to conceive naturally, but with fertility treatment, men can often become parents despite low sperm count. Sperm freezing allows fertility treatments to be performed at a later time.
- Vasectomy - It is common for men to undergo a vasectomy when they believe that they are done having children. Sperm freezing is a good way to preserve fertility prior to a vasectomy, just in case circumstances change and the male decides he would like to have another child.
- Gender reassignment - Gender reassignment and other forms of transgender care can alter a person’s reproductive abilities. Sperm freezing prior to this type of treatment allows individuals the option to father a child in the future.
What to Expect from the Procedure
Sperm freezing itself is a fast and non-invasive procedure. To ensure that we collect the best sample, we ask males to refrain from ejaculating for a few days leading up to their procedure. On the day of collection, men are escorted into a comfortable and private collection room where they are asked to ejaculate into a sterile collection cup. Collected semen is frozen and stored for future use.
Using Frozen Sperm in Fertility Treatment
Frozen sperm remains viable for many years. When the patient is ready to have a child, frozen sperm is thawed for use in fertility treatment. Frozen sperm can be used in a range of fertility treatments, including intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Contact Our Fertility Specialists Today
If you are interested in learning more about family planning and fertility preservation, the team of fertility specialists at the Los Angeles Reproductive Center would be happy to answer any questions you may have. To schedule a fertility consultation, send us a message online, or call (661) 889-5173.