Whether you’re future-proofing your family planning or considering the option for various other reasons, freezing your sperm at sperm banks in Singapore can benefit you in so many ways. Also, it’s the best insurance against infertility while offering you and your partner the opportunity to have your own child.
That said, simply wanting to have a baby isn’t a guarantee that you’ll have one. It has to depend on your fertility health and a bit of strategy. And freezing sperm is one way to ensure that you’ll be able to conceive when you’re ready.
However, you may have several questions about freezing sperm and how the process works. Here’s what you need to know about sperm bank Singapore.
A Glimpse of Sperm Bank Singapore
As the name suggests, a sperm bank is where you can freeze your sperm for future use or in other people’s fertility treatment. There are many reasons for you to consider freezing your sperm. Among them is age, as men often experience fertility problems after the age of 40.
Other than that, freezing your sperm may be a good idea if:
- You have a medical condition or are undergoing treatment that may affect your fertility.
- You’re about to have a vasectomy and may need the sperm in case you change your mind about having children.
- You have a low sperm count or the quality of your sperm is deteriorating.
- You’re at risk of injury or death (military personnel).
- You have difficulty producing a sperm sample during fertility treatment.
- You’re surgically transitioning from a male to a female and want to preserve your fertility before starting any treatment.
In any case, the sperm bank can help you and other people to have children through assisted reproductive technology such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and intrauterine insemination (IUI).
Sperm Banking Singapore Procedure
Freezing sperm is a multi-step process which begins with a consultation with your doctor. As with many routine medical appointments, consultation is necessary to understand why you want to freeze your sperm as well as for you to get more information about the process.
After the consultation, here’s what you can expect:
- Sample collection – You’ll be asked to ejaculate into a sterile container provided by the sperm bank or clinic. If you’re doing it at home, you may need to abstain from ejaculating for up to seven days to obtain the sperm sample.
- Semen analysis – Your sperm sample will be washed and analysed to ensure that it contains living sperm. The lab will then record the sperm count, motility (sperm’s ability to swim) and shape. You may also have to undergo testing for infectious diseases.
- Preparation – Before freezing your sperm, it’ll be mixed with a special fluid to protect it from damage, and divided between several containers. This will let you thaw smaller batches of sperm at different times in the future.
- Freezing and storage – Your sperm sample will then be frozen for future use. As the storage duration for sperm samples varies according to the clinic, you may discuss with your doctor on storage time and plans should you opt not to use your samples.
Who Can Freeze Sperm?
Generally, anyone who is healthy and has some sperm in their ejaculation can freeze sperm. Children can also freeze sperm, especially those diagnosed with cancer and have achieved puberty.
While sperm freezing remains as an option, Singapore only allows this procedure if you have a certain medical condition which may permanently affect your fertility. Same goes for egg freezing.
Hence, before you decide to freeze sperm, you’re encouraged to find relevant information about sperm banks in Singapore, and educate yourself and use this option only if your fertility is threatened.
In some cases, sperm donors are always welcomed by sperm banks as they can help other couples to conceive. That said, here are the guidelines for being a sperm donor:
- You should be younger than 40 years old
- You’re healthy
- You have excellent sperm parameters
- Your family history is clear of cancer and other hereditary diseases.
Nevertheless, one of our core competencies is to see through a couple’s / an individual’s fertility journey as we have a strong local and overseas network of fertility partners which we can work to provide holistic care throughout this journey.
Is there any risk to men who freeze sperm?
There are generally no risks to men who choose to freeze sperm. Among the thousands of children who were conceived with frozen sperm, the incidence of birth defects is no different from that of children conceived through sexual intercourse. Artificial insemination has long been effective in giving couples with fertility problems the opportunity to have a child of their own. That said, if you’re looking for a fertility clinic that offers fertility preservation, The O&G Specialist Clinic can give quality advice on freezing your sperm through a virtual consultation from the comfort of your home.
