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Male Fertility Preservation and Future Family Planning
Sperm Freezing in humans was introduced in the 1960s, and since then it has proven to be an efficient way in managing male fertility.
But how much do you know about SPERM FREEZING
Many studies have shown that men has a ticking biological clock, just like women. Most men do not realise that having children at an older age can have negative impacts on their wives’ pregnancy and their children. So, freezing your army earlier may be advantageous later in life.
Many types of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the pelvic area or involving the testicles can cause severe sperm damage. Sperm DNA damage can lower the chances of pregnancy in women.
Therefore, some doctors do recommend to freeze the men’s sperm before undergoing therapy treatments.
When sperm freezing and storage are done properly using proven protocols and by skillful Embryologists, the frozen specimen will remain viable for a long time. In fact, pregnancies have been reported where the sperm used was frozen for 20 years prior to using it in fertility treatment.
Frozen Sperm is as good as fresh sperm, but this is only true if the frozen sperm was ejaculated sperm and not testicular sperm. There is a DIFFERENCE! Ejaculated sperm are mature sperm, which means they are more robust compared to testicular sperm which are immature sperm.
Before you rush off to a fertility clinic to freeze your army of sperm, let’s take a moment to truly understand the meaning of SPERM or SEMEN FREEZING. Sperm freezing is one of the scientific breakthroughs of the 20th century in reproductive medicine and continues to assist many couples around the world to conceive through assisted reproductive technology treatments, such as IVF (in-vitro fertilization).
Sperm freezing (or sperm cryopreservation) is a procedure that takes place to stabilize living cells (in this case – human sperm) in subzero temperatures (-196°C) and this has formed an integral part of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Cryopreservation involves internal cellular water dehydration and rehydration with safe soluble chemicals, known as cryoprotectant. Cryoprotectant prevents formation of ice crystals inside the sperm during thawing. Ice crystals are dangerous because it can further damage sperm functionality.
Our IVF laboratory employs the most recent advances in sperm cryopreservation, a technique known as rapid freezing, which involves direct contact with liquid nitrogen vapour for 10minutes before immersion in liquid nitrogen at -196°C. Rapid freezing markedly reduces structural damage of the human sperm which is a vital element in making pregnancies possible for couples who are trying to conceive using assisted reproductive technologies.
At KL Fertility Centre, all men that intend to have sperm freezing must undergo a semen analysis to determine suitability of sperm freezing. This is because post-thaw of the frozen specimen does result in a decline in number of motile and/or live sperm. It is also advised that you indicate if the frozen specimen is meant for short term or long term storage. This helps our team to properly manage the storage period and validity. In addition, part of our Total Quality and Safety Assurance measure, men are required to undergo some blood tests prior to sperm freezing.
Yes. You will need:
These are important for safety and proper storage handling.
The sample is usually collected through masturbation in a private room at the centre. In certain cases, alternative methods may be discussed with your fertility specialist.
Freezing and thawing may cause some sperm cells to be lost, but around 50–70% of sperm may survive the thawing process, depending on sperm quality before freezing, the freezing method used, and laboratory handling.
In most cases, enough healthy sperm remain after thawing to be effectively used in fertility treatments such as IVF or ICSI. Babies conceived with frozen sperm are just as healthy as those from fresh samples.
Frozen sperm can be just as effective as fresh sperm, especially when it comes from ejaculated samples. However, some loss in motility may occur after thawing.
In most cases, sufficient healthy sperm remain for use in fertility treatments. Your fertility specialist can advise on expected outcomes based on your specific case.
With modern freezing techniques, there is no fixed limit to storage duration. At KL Fertility Centre (Malaysia), sperm storage is available for short-term (up to 3 months) or long-term (up to 5 years).
While 5 years is the standard maximum storage period, this can be extended following a consultation with your fertility specialist based on your specific needs.
Your fertility specialist will be able to advise you based on your individual circumstances.
Sperm freezing may be suitable for:
Your fertility specialist can advise whether sperm freezing is suitable for your situation.
You may choose to continue storage of your frozen sperm if you are currently undergoing or planning for fertility treatment. Sperm storage is available for as long as the patient requires, provided that the storage fees are kept up to date.
If you have completed your treatment or no longer wish to maintain storage, you can choose to discontinue and discard the sample.
If you have decided to discontinue storage, all outstanding payments must first be settled, and a formal consent to cease storage must be signed before the process can be concluded.
Our team will contact you to confirm your instructions and renewal preferences before your storage period expires.
Before sperm freezing, you will be required to sign consent forms covering:
These consent forms are important to ensure proper legal, ethical, and laboratory management of the frozen specimen.
The cost of sperm freezing in Malaysia varies depending on storage duration and laboratory requirements.
For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing, please contact us for a personalised quotation tailored to your specific needs.