Sperm Freezing

In some cases, it may be necessary to freeze and store semen sperm for later use in IVF treatment. According to the new IVF Regulation that came into effect on September 30, 2014, sperm freezing can be applied under the following conditions:

1. Prior to treatments that could potentially damage sperm cells, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy,
2. Before surgeries that may lead to loss of reproductive functions (e.g., removal of testicles and similar procedures),
3. In cases where sperm retrieval is performed through surgical methods,
4. In the presence of severe sperm count reduction (to prevent the risk of not finding any sperm in the future), sperm freezing can be planned.

How is Sperm Freezing Procedure Performed?

Sperm Collection

To perform the sperm freezing procedure, a sperm sample needs to be collected from the male. There are two different ways to obtain a sperm sample. Firstly, you can provide a sperm sample through masturbation. Secondly, in cases where the sperm count is low or the patient cannot provide a sperm sample through masturbation, the sperm sample can be obtained through a surgical procedure. Sperm can be collected from the testes through procedures like MESA, TESA, or PESA. These procedures can be performed under local or general anesthesia.

Before providing the sperm sample, it is necessary to observe sexual abstinence for 3 days. During this period, the male should not engage in sexual intercourse or ejaculate through masturbation. Prolonging the abstinence period is not recommended as it may lead to an increase in sperm count while reducing sperm motility and quality.

Sperm Analysis

The collected sperms are analyzed before freezing. In semen analysis, sperm count, motility, and structure are evaluated. This allows for the selection and freezing of the healthiest sperms.

Freezing the Sperms

If the quality of the collected sperm sample is not satisfactory, your doctor may ask you to provide another sperm sample. After the sperm analysis is completed, the collected sperms are frozen using a specially formulated sperm medium at a temperature of -197 degrees Celsius. The sperms are safely preserved in liquid nitrogen for many years