Sperm Freezing
Certain surgical treatments, procedures and diseases may affect male reproductive function temporarily or permanently. In a permanent state, infertility occurs because healthy sperm cells cannot be produced. With sperm freezing and storage techniques, semen samples known as liquid containing sperm can be stored and used to have a baby in the future.
What is Sperm Freezing?
Sperm freezing is the process of freezing the sperm taken from the father-to-be in order to be thawed at a later time and used in IVF treatments. Frozen sperms are stored in liquid nitrogen at -196 °C. The low freezing temperature ensures that the sperm are stored for a long time without being damaged. The viability and quality of frozen sperm do not deteriorate when thawed. It is a very effective treatment method, especially for male candidates who will undergo chemotherapy.
It is a form of treatment that people who want to leave the process of having a child for later years can apply. Sperm count in men decreases by 2-3% per year on average every year when they reach middle age. The decrease in sperm count and motility also decreases the probability of fertilization. In addition, DNA integrity may deteriorate with advancing age. To prevent such situations, sperm freezing may be preferred.
Who Is Sperm Freezing recommended for?
- For men who want to be fathers at an older age
- Before chemotherapy for men undergoing chemotherapy for the treatment of diseases such as cancer
- Men whose ovaries (testes) need to be removed due to various diseases
- No drug treatment is required for sperm freezing.
How is sperm freezing made?
In order to perform the sperm freezing process, first of all, sperm samples should be taken from men. This process can be done in two different ways. This process can be achieved by men masturbating. However, in some men, the sperm rate may be low or the patient may not accept the other method. In such cases, sperm collection from male testicles can be performed by performing procedures such as TESE and MICRO-TESE. These procedures can be performed under local or general anesthesia depending on the situation.
In order for sperm collection to be performed, men should not have sexual intercourse for an average of 3 days before the procedure. During this period, any situation that will cause sperm to come out of the body is prohibited. It should be noted that experts do not recommend for those who consider extending this period in order to increase the number of sperm. Because the longer the period, the less sperm motility and the quality of sperm decreases.
Sperm taken from men by various methods are analyzed. This process is called semen analysis. During this procedure, sperm count, motility and structure of sperm are evaluated in detail. Then the healthiest sperms are selected and frozen. If the sperms taken are not of sufficient quality, the sperm retrieval process can be done again. After the necessary analysis, the sperms taken in sufficient quality and quantity are frozen with special methods.
Before this procedure, men are asked to have a blood test for diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, in addition to semen analysis.
