Sperm banks are medical facilities that collect and store sperm. The use of cryopreserved, or frozen, donor sperm has emerged as an additional option for those couples who previously would have been unable to conceive due to male infertility. Anonymous sperm donors undergo rigorous medical and genetic evaluation and testing prior to acceptance.
Each donor specimen submitted is carefully analyzed for adequate sperm count and mobility. The couple chooses a particular donor from a catalog describing physical characteristics and ethnic background. The donor specimen selected is subsequently released to the couple’s physician for use in insemination or assisted reproduction.
For males undergoing vasectomies, chemotherapy, or other treatments which may alter future sperm production, sperm cryopreservation and storage facilities allow the possibility of conceiving children in the future.