What are the success rates for using donor sperm?

Thawed sperm can be deposited directly into the cervix (Intracervical Insemination or ICI) or the uterus (Intrauterine Insemination or IUI), as well as used during In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), whereby fertilization takes place in a Petri dish in a laboratory setting. IUI pregnancy rates (per cycle of insemination) in healthy women less than 40 years of age, with no other cause of infertility, range between 5% and 25% per cycle. The average pregnancy rate per cycle is approximately 10%, being about 15-20% for women under 35 years of age; 10-15% for women between 35 and 40 years of age; and nearly 5% for women over 40 years of age. In general, 80% of women under 35 and 50% of those between 35 and 40, conceive within the first eight cycles of treatment. However, some won’t. These women, along with most women in their early forties, will need to resort to a more advanced treatment known as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

“Partner to Partner IVF” is also the preferred choice of treatment for many lesbian couples. The advantage for lesbian couples in doing IVF resides in the fact that the treatment enables them to use one partner as the source for the eggs, while the other partner will be the gestational carrier. Hence, both have the opportunity to share in the creation of their family. Typically, the younger partner will generate the eggs to increase the chances of success. It is not uncommon for such couples to also reverse roles in the future, following the birth of their first baby. If you are interested in learning more about “Partner to Partner IVF” please contact us for a referral to a clinic in your area.

What screening process do your donors go through?

We are dedicated to reviewing sperm donor qualifications with utmost scrutiny. As a result, only 1 to 2% of men who express an interest in becoming a sperm donor are eligible to become a Fertility Cryobank donor. Donor eligibility involves the following assessment and screening:

1. Initial Assessment
   • Verification of GPA and academic testing scores
   • Psychological screening to detect pathological traits
   • GAMA IQ Testing
     The GAMA test (General Ability Measure for Adults), an assessment from Pearson Assessments, is a self-administered, timed test that uses abstract designs, shapes, and colors to help measure general ability. Normed on a census-based sample of 2,360 adults, it can be effective with a variety of populations and can be administered to individuals or groups. The GAMA IQ score helps estimate an individual's general intellectual ability and the four subtest scores provide additional information about the individual's performance.
     Related Links:
     • http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/en-us/Productdetail.htm?Pid=PAg118&Mode=summary
     • http://www.fertilitycounselingservices.com/
   • All donors are evaluated with a Donor Eligibility Questionnaire, as set forth by the FDA
   • Genetic History Evaluation and interview
2. Laboratory Screening

   Donors are tested before being admitted to the program, during their donation cycle, and at the end of a six month quarantine period.

   • Initial Screening Tests
     • Physical
     • Drug screening
     • Thalassemias
     • Hemoglobinopathies
     • TSH
     • Cystic Fibrosis
     • Tay-Sachs
     • CBC
     • HCV (by EIA & NAT)
     • HepBcAb
     • HepBsAg
     • HIV 1 (by EIA and NAT)
     • HIV 2 (by EIA)
     • HTLV 1&2
     • Syphilis
     • Gonorrhea
     • Chlamydia
     • CMV
     • Blood type and Rh
     • Other genetic testing as recommended by genetic counselor
   • Periodic Screening Tests
     • Gonorrhea
     • Chlamydia
     • CMV
   • Quarantine Tests
     • HCV (by EIA & NAT)
     • HepBcAb
     • HepBsAg
     • HIV 1 (by EIA and NAT)
     • HIV 2 (by EIA)
     • HTLV 1&2
     • Drug screening
     • Gonorrhea
     • Chlamydia
     • CMV

Who performs genetic counseling for Fertility Cryobank?

Megan McCoy, MS, CGC
Certified Genetic Counselor

Megan McCoy has been a genetic counselor in Los Angeles for eight years with a focus in prenatal and infertility genetics. She received her M.S. in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York in 2000 and was board certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics in 2002. Megan is a member of both the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and she is currently the secretary of the NSGC’s Assisted Reproductive Technologies special interest group. She currently resides in Hermosa Beach, California and enjoys spending time going to the beach with friends.

What is genetic counseling?

Genetic counseling is the process by which individuals, or couples, have their medical and family history information analyzed to assess the chance of disease occurrence or recurrence. Education is provided about inheritance patterns, available genetic testing, genetic disease management, research, and support group services. Genetic counselors aim to help people comprehend the complexities of genetics while assisting them in adapting to the psychological implications of genetic disease in an emotionally supportive environment.

What does the genetic evaluation of the sperm donor entail?

The donor candidate must first complete a thorough medical and family history questionnaire and undergo several blood tests to screen for certain genetic disorders (see below). The genetic counselor reviews the donor’s profile application and confirms that his genetic tests were negative. Each donor then has a phone interview with the genetic counselor and a detailed three-generation family history, or pedigree, is constructed. Special care is taken to identify any history that would increase the risk for the donor’s offspring to have inherited forms of mental retardation, birth defects, and/or other significant disease. A report is created by the genetic counselor to summarize the donor’s history as well as to recommend any additional genetic testing.

What genetic conditions are the sperm donors routinely screened for?

All sperm donors routinely have a complete blood count (CBC) and a quantitative hemoglobin electrophoresis to screen for common hemoglobinopathies, such as thalassemia and sickle cell anemia.

Donors also have DNA carrier testing for Cystic fibrosis (CF) and enzyme analysis to assess their risk to be carriers of Tay-Sachs disease. Carrier testing for CF and Tay-Sachs disease does not have 100% detection. However, negative results significantly lower a donor’s risk to be a carrier for these disorders.

Additional genetic screening may be recommended and performed based on a donor’s ethnicity or family history. For example, all donors of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish descent will also have carrier testing for the following genetic disorders: Tay-sachs disease (by DNA and enzyme analysis), Canavan disease, Familial dysautonomia, Fanconi anemia (group C), Niemann-Pick disease (type A), Bloom syndrome, Gaucher disease, Mucolipidosis IV, Glycogen storage disease type 1a (GSD1a), and Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD).

Why is the genetic evaluation important for the intended parents?

Both the genetic report and three-generation pedigree are available to the intended parents for their records. Having a copy of the donor’s history helps ensure that intended parents not only have complete information, but also interpretations of potential risks to their offspring. This genetic evaluation may also be the most detailed information intended parents have about the history of their offspring’s family. During pregnancy, the intended parents may wish to share this information with their physician so that their pregnancy can be managed as effectively as possible.

Who prepares the donor profiles?

All donor profiles are written by the donor themselves, so there is no opportunity for errors or embellishment by a Fertility Cryobank staff member who has assisted in creating the profile.

How do you verify donor identify?

All donors must show photo identification at their initial screening appointment. For all subsequent donation visits each donor is required to check-in using our biometric thumb printing system and visual confirmation.

How do you assign donor identification numbers?

Our state-of-the-art, customized FDA certified database automatically assigns a unique ID number to each donor that applies through our program. The system has verifications built in to ensure the same ID is not used more than 1 time.

Are all of your donor anonymous?

Fertility Cryobank works with both anonymous and “ID Consent” donors. A donor’s profile will indicate whether they are willing to be “ID Release”.

What does “ID Consent” mean?

An “ID Consent” donor has agreed to allow Fertility Cryobank to release their contact information to a child once the child has reached the age of 18. The child must request the information from Fertility Cryobank directly. We will require the child to have an education session with an approved psychologist before the donor’s information will be released. The child will be responsible for the cost of this session. Fertility Cryobank will then provide the child with the donor’s full legal name, date of birth, and last contact information on file. It is up to the child to locate the donor.

What costs are associated with choosing a donor through Fertility Cryobank?

Please visit our Financial Information page for more information.

Why do vials at Fertility Cryobank seem to cost more than other sperm banks?

All Fertility Cryobank donors have adult photos and streaming video, something that most sperm banks don’t offer or charge additional fees to view. In addition, you will receive an electronic version of your donor’s profile, video and photos for future use. Furthermore, all of our donors complete a rigorous screening process which includes standardized psychological and IQ testing, something most sperm banks don’t do.

What steps should I take if I find a donor I’d like to work with?

1. Create an account to view our sperm donor profiles. Note that the donor database is updated on a regular basis; however, if you see a donor that you would like to purchase, we recommend that you do so immediately, as the donor inventory can be viewed by multiple clients concurrently. All purchases can be completed online using your personal account. If you would like to speak with a staff member before placing your order please don’t hesitate to contact us directly at 323-904-4939.
2. Notify your physician that you have located a sperm donor and would like to get started with the conception process. Specifically, address the following topics:
   • Which type of samples you should be ordering (IUI, ICI or ART). Your doctor will determine which type of sample you should purchase based upon the conception method you will be employing.
   • Find out the shipping date required to have your specimen arrive in time for your medical procedure. Shipments are recommended to arrive at least one day prior to the insemination or fertility treatment. All orders must be placed at least 3 business days prior to the date of your medical procedure. We recommend that you place your order anywhere from 5 to 14 days before you estimate needing it. The shipping containers are guaranteed to keep your specimen frozen for 7 days.
3. Submit Client Agreement and order your sperm through your online account with a credit card.
4. Have your Doctor complete a Doctor Registration and Shipping Authorization (note that no orders will be shipped without Doctor Authorization and Shipping Authorization). All of these items will be made available to your doctor through an online account.
5. Fill out a Shipping Request form. This will allow us to prepare your shipment for arrival on a date of your choice. You will have the opportunity to choose from the following shipping options: Federal Express, Courier Service (available for shipments within the Los Angeles area only), or Personal Pick-Up at our Los Angeles Office.

Do you have a quality assurance policy?

Yes. Our vial guarantees are:

IUI vials are guaranteed to have a minimum of 8 million motile sperm after thawing.

ICI vials are guarenteed to have a minimum of 16 million motile sperm after thawing.

ART vials are guaranteed to have a minimum of 4 million motile sperm after thawing.

If your doctor finds that your vial(s) do not meet this standard we will send a replacement vial from the same donor if pregnancy is not achieved.

*If we no longer have vials available from your donor we will send a replacement vial from an alternate donor of your choosing.

Are you licensed?

Yes, we have the following licenses/certifications:

• Food and Drug Administration Registration

  Click the Icon to Open a PDF of our FDA license.

• California Tissue Banking License

  Click the Icon to Open a PDF of our CA Tissue Banking license.

• California Clinical Laboratory License

  Click the Icon to Open a PDF of our CA Clinical Lab License.

• New York Tissue Banking License

  Click the Icon to Open a PDF of our New York Tissue Banking License.

• CLIA Certificate

  Click the Icon to Open a PDF of our CLIA certificate.

Does Fertility Cryobank have a maximum number of offspring per donor?

Fertility Cryobank follows the guidelines of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (www.asrm.org) to limit the number of offspring from one donor in a geographic area.

Does Fertility Cryobank track pregnancies and births?

It is the goal of Fertility Cryobank to track all pregnancies and births from recipients of our program. We have reporting mechanisms built into our advanced database for recipients to report a pregnancy and live birth. We also follow up with the recipient and their physician’s office at pre-determined intervals to request pregnancy and birth information. While recipients are highly incentivized to report back to us, there is no guarantee that all sperm donor conceptions or births will be reported to our program.

Does Fertility Cryobank support donor sibling registries?

Our goal is to provide recipients and their offspring with the full range of options for donor disclosure. We offer an ID release program to all of our donors and fully support their voluntary participation in donor sibling registries.

We also believe that by providing video and pictures of all of our donors, the offspring will have a more comprehensive profile of the donor which may answer many of their questions.

If Fertility Cryobank receives a report from a recipient about a genetic abnormality in their child, do they report it to other recipients?

Yes, Fertility Cryobank is committed to providing any pertinent health or genetic information to our families. We will make every effort to reach all recipients related to the donor in question after the reported incident has been thoroughly researched.