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Cryo-Genie will be happy to answer any of your questions regarding donors or donor insemination. Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. Please feel free to contact us at any one of our laboratories for further clarification.

Q: Is Artificial Insemination Safe?

Artificial insemination with donor or husband sperm is a medically recognized therapeutic procedure which is being practiced throughout the world. The incidence of birth abnormalities in children born as a result of this procedure is the same as in those born out of natural conception. However, it must be remembered that artificial insemination is an invasive procedure and that there is always a possibility of infection if it is not performed under proper conditions or with sperm samples that are not carefully processed.

Q: How are donors selected?

Donors are selected on the basis of strict criteria which include age, height, education, detailed medical and genetic history and the quality of semen. The majority of our donors are students from medical and professional colleges.

Q: Are donors screened for HIV (AIDS virus) and other sexually transmitted diseases?

Yes, all our donors are screened for HIV I and HIV II, Hepatitis, Syphillis, Gonorrhea, Genital warts and Chlamydia. All donors are tested initially and at three month intervals thereafter.

Q: Is the blood type of the donor tested?

Yes, all donors are tested for blood group and Rh factor.

Q: Are semen samples quarantined before release for insemination?

We follow strict recommendations of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and only release samples after six months of quarantine after retesting the donor for HIV I and HIV II(AIDS virus) and other sexually transmitted diseases. A six-month quarantine period ensures that the donor is negative for HIV, Hepatitis, Syphillis, Gonorrhea, Genital warts and Chlamydia.

Q: What are the advantages of using quarantined frozen semen samples from a semen bank as opposed to fresh samples?

Safety, due to the quarantine period, is the primary advantage of using semen samples from a semen bank. Other advantages include: ease of scheduling insemination when ovulation is optimal; multiple insemination in a given ovulatory cycle with the same donor; and availability of known quality sperm over an extended period of time. It is also easier to ensure complete anonymity for the patients.

Q: Is the confidentiality of donor and recipient guaranteed?

The identity of both the donors and recipients is kept strictly confidential. However, we do maintain records of our donors so that essential medical information can be furnished if necessary, although the identity of the donor remains confidential even in such cases.

Q: What informationis used to match the characteristics of the donor with the husband of the recipient ?

At present, the blood group, height, complexion, color of eyes and color of hair are matched.

Q: How is the quality of the sperm sample assured?

Each sample vial contains at least 20 million motile sperm after thawing. This number is recommended by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. A vial from each batch of frozen semen is thawed and tested for quality control prior to shipping of any vials from that batch. Quality control data for each specimen can be provided upon request.

Q: Can anybody buy semen samples from Cryo-Genie?

Cryo-Genie Cryobanks were set up to provide a service to all physicians and their patients. However, we require that all clients are under the care of a physician. Semen samples can only be purchased by a physician or by a client with auhtorization of a physician. Please contact us for any further clarification.

Q: Are facilities provided to individuals for autopreservation of their sperm for future use?

Yes. There are many situations where men may face the possibility of sterility, e.g. chemotherapy, radiotherapy, high risk occupations,injuries in combat or highly oligospermic semen. In these situations, individuals may prefer to preserve their semen for future use. We are fully equipped for long term autopreservation of semen. We also store a husbands sperm for artificial insemination (AIH), in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive procedures.