Freezing semen could be a good option especially when you are not ready to start a family early. It is a way of preserving healthy sperm since they are better when we are young than when we get old. The sperm is always extracted from a man through masturbation or surgical procedures. The best way is through masturbation since there are no risks involved.
A sterile lubricant is given to the man during masturbation to make sure the sperm is not hurt or infected. Once the sperm is extracted, it is tested to make sure it is healthy and free from disease-causing infections. Its structure and motility are also considered, and once all are okay, the sperm gets frozen. The process is referred to as cryopreservation.
Reasons for Freezing Sperm
Several reasons trigger people to freeze their sperm, apart from to use them in the future. They include the following:
1. Certain Medications
You can choose to freeze your sperm when you are about to receive medications that are likely to put your fertility at stake. Such treatments include chemotherapy for cancer and other longtime medications. These treatments interfere with the health of your sperm by making them weak.
Some of them tend to lower your sperm count. When your sperm count goes low, it gets hard for you to conceive. Either, they affect the shape and form of your sperm, making you have defective sperm which will give you unhealthy babies.
Therefore, before starting any form of longtime treatment, it is wise you ask your doctor the effect it has on your fertility. According to their response, you can choose either to freeze your sperm or not.
2. For Donation
Donating sperm is another reason you may decide to freeze your sperm. It could be for helping a friend with difficulties in conceiving. Also, it could be for female couples who want to have a baby.
Usually, your friend requests you to donate sperm for them when they have tried and failed to conceive. If you agree to their request, you donate your sperm, and it gets frozen as they continue to try conceiving on their own.
Once they have tried different treatment methods to conceive and failed, they consider the sperm you donated. Freezing your sperm is essential as time is likely to have passed by the time your friend is done with trying conceiving treatments.
It makes sure they still get to have a healthy baby.
3. Injuries
Some accidents tend to threaten your fertility. They cause damages to your testes, which may be hard to recover. In such incidents, you can have your sperm frozen before surgery is done on you.
They help in preserving your sperm until that moment when you need them. Such injuries are most common to soldiers and riders.
Other injuries may be life-threatening and may lead to death. Thus, extracting your semen and freezing them become the best way to preserve your fertility. It is also an excellent way to continue your lineage.
4. Vasectomy
Vasectomy is a method of family planning used by men. It is permanent and non-reversible. Usually, it is carried out when all other means of family planning fail or put your partner at health risks.
When undergoing a vasectomy, you may want to consider freezing your semen. The reason behind freezing your sperm is because you might change your mind in the future and want to add a baby.
Also, you may have a friend who would want to have a baby and have a hard time getting one. In both cases, it would be a good time for you to use your preserved sperm.
The Life Span of a Frozen Semen
One of the most disturbing worry when preserving your semen is how long it can last. The answer to your anxiety is: as long as you want.
According to urologists, you can store your sperm for up to 55 years. You are the key determinant of how long you want to store your sperm.
All you need to do is sign an agreement with the facility where you intend to preserve your sperm. In case your preservation time is over, and you fail to respond, your sperm is usually exposed and allowed to perish.
Why? Your semen cannot be donated or “sold” to other people without your consent. Your sperm is always preserved in a confidential state. You are the only person allowed to access them and also the people you have authorized in your agreement.
Thus, it is crucial for you to keep your preservation facility up to date with your address in case you relocate.
It allows them to reach you with ease if there is any communication that needs to be made to you.
Also, any changes made in terms of their accessibility is vital as it helps to avoid them landing in the wrong hands.
Semen preservation can be one of the best decisions you can ever make. Considering that the preservation has no side effects on your future baby and you, it is undoubtedly the best procedure.
Care should be taken however before settling for a health facility. Consider checking its background, and also whether it is professionally and legally allowed to offer the service. Check if it has successfully carried out a similar procedure before. You do not want to lose your sperm to a quark health facility that ends up vanishing without notice.
