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Male Fertilty Preservation

Male Fertilty Preservation

This is the process of freezing and storage of semen samples so that they can be used by you and a present/future partner to achieve a pregnancy in the future.

Why consider freezing sperm?

There are many situations that could interfere with your ability to produce sperm in the future and so your future fertility. Some examples of these are;

  • If you need to undergo Chemotherapy and/or Radiation therapy
  • Certain types of surgery involving the male reproductive tract and/or testicles
  • Prior to having a Vasectomy
  • Significant illnesses that can lead to erectile difficulty
  • Spinal cord disease or injury
  • High risk occupations such as the military
  • In preparation for future fertility treatment(s)


For these reasons many men decide to freeze sperm as a safeguard against known and unforeseen future circumstances.

How can I organize to freeze sperm?

You can arrange to freeze sperm by calling Monash IVF to book an appointment. Before your appointment, you will be asked to have a blood test for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HTLV I & II and HIV, as these infections may be transmitted through the semen to a female partner or an unborn child.

You will be asked to sign a consent form for the freezing and storage of your semen, and there will be a charge for the initial freezing and ongoing storage of your sperm. In order to provide a sample you will be directed to a private room. After giving your semen sample to one of our scientists, they will then analyse the sample, prepare and freeze it, and then store it for future use.

We would prefer that you collect the specimen on-site in one of our private collection rooms. However, you may also collect the specimen at home if it can be in our laboratory within 30 minutes after it is produced and the sample can be kept warm whilst in transit.

We often recommend that you provide a number of samples for preparation and freezing, and if possible most men freeze between two and five samples. If you are ill and urgent medical treatment is needed then you may not be able to freeze more than one sample.

We recommend that you abstain from sexual intercourse and ejaculation for three days before each sample. Sometimes minor surgery or electrical stimulation is required to collect a sample.

As per Australian government protocols, sperm can be stored for up to 10 years, after which approval from the clinic must be sought for an extension of storage. You must keep us updated regarding any changes of address or other contact details. We will contact you to collect storage fees and to confirm that you want to maintain the frozen samples. However, if we cannot contact you after all reasonable efforts, we will thaw and destroy your sample(s).

What happens in the future if my partner and I want to have a baby?

Success rates from using stored sperm depend on several factors. Your health and any underlying illness at the time of producing sample(s) may affect the quality of the sperm. Although in general 60% of the sperm frozen will survive the freezing and thawing process, there is considerable variation depending upon the condition of sperm at the time of freezing. Furthermore, success rates will depend on your female partner including her age, fertility status, and the method of treatment that is used. The most common and successful form of treatment is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) at the time of in-vitro fertilization IVF.

There doesn't appear to be any difference in the rate of abnormalities or birth defects among children whether they are born as a result of using fresh or frozen sperm. However, there may be some concerns if your sperm was produced after chemotherapy was started.

If your partner wants to consider using your sperm after your death, you must give written consent. This is a very sensitive issue that we encourage you to discuss with your partner and legal counsel. Otherwise, your sperm samples will be discarded in the event of your death.

A copy of our male fertility preservation fact sheet can be downloaded from the bottom of this page.


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