Frequently asked questions

I already had a vasectomy. Is it too late to freeze my sperm?

Vasectomy & vasectomy reversal

Not necessarily. Some sperm still remains in the semen for a short time after a vasectomy.

If you’ve already had a vasectomy, we recommend getting a standard semen analysis with an annual freezing plan as soon as possible — after you’re cleared to ejaculate, typically around 1 week post-procedure. This test will assess if there are still viable, quality sperm in your semen. If there are not, we’ll refund the cost of your storage plan.

My vasectomy is happening really soon. Can I still use Legacy to freeze my sperm?

Vasectomy & vasectomy reversal

Probably! We want to help expedite the process. Contact us at clientservices@givelegacy.com.

How many vials of sperm should I freeze before my vasectomy?

Vasectomy & vasectomy reversal

Sperm freezing

Short answer: as many as you can afford. But the ideal number of samples to store also depends on your future plans. A few questions you might consider:

Do you have kids already? If you don’t, there may be a higher chance that you’ll want kids in the future, even if you’re sure you don’t want them right now. (Hence the vasectomy!)
How old are you? If you’re in your 20s or 30s, it’s more likely that your family plans may change in the future.

Generally speaking, one vial of sperm is used in each IUI or IVF procedure.

1 semen sample = 4 vials of frozen sperm
1 vial of frozen sperm = 1 IUI or IVF procedure

IUI pregnancy rates range from 10–25% per cycle; IVF success rates range from 5–50% per cycle. So, you may need multiple attempts to achieve pregnancy.

How effective is a vasectomy reversal?

Vasectomy & vasectomy reversal

Vasectomy reversal success rates vary widely, from about 30% to 90%, depending on several factors.

How long it’s been since your vasectomy: The longer it’s been, the less likely you are to regain fertility after a vasectomy reversal.
The type of procedure you had during your initial vasectomy, and the type of vasectomy reversal you’re pursuing.

The skill level of your surgeon: Vasectomy reversal is a complex microsurgery, and success rates are higher for experienced surgeons than for those who rarely perform vasectomy reversals.

How effective is a vasectomy?

Vasectomy & vasectomy reversal

A vasectomy is a highly effective permanent form of birth control. Vasectomy “failure” is defined as a case in which the vas deferens reconnect after the procedure, once again allowing sperm to enter the semen. Only about 1 or 2 in every 1,000 vasectomies fail, making it over 99% effective.

When should I test my semen after a vasectomy?

Vasectomy & vasectomy reversal

Follow your doctor’s instructions. Typically, the advice is to test your semen 8–12 weeks after your vasectomy.

You should aim to ejaculate frequently, starting one week following your procedure and stopping 2–5 days prior to your semen analysis. This will help you “clear out” the sperm from your testes. (Remember, your vasectomy isn’t considered effective until you’ve had a post-vasectomy semen analysis, so these ejaculations should be masturbation or sex with contraception.)

When should I freeze my sperm before a vasectomy?

Vasectomy & vasectomy reversal

Up to 1 in 10 people who have a vasectomy will eventually seek a reversal. The truth is that you may change your mind about having (more) kids in the future. Sperm freezing is a reliable back-up plan that’s significantly more affordable and less invasive than a vasectomy reversal later on.

We recommend ordering your sperm freezing kit(s) as soon as you schedule your vasectomy. This should give you time to freeze one or multiple samples prior to your appointment.

What’s the process of vasectomy?

Vasectomy & vasectomy reversal

Vasectomy is a procedure in which the vas deferens, the ducts that connect the testes to the urethra in the penis, are cut. This prevents sperm from entering your semen (ejaculate or “cum”) without affecting your sexual function or hormones.

What’s included with an at-home sperm testing kit?

Sperm testing

Poccess & kit components

The Legacy kit includes:

The Legacy “vault,” an insulated zippered container that maintains a stable temperature during transportation.
A sterile sample cup to easily collect your sample from home.

The sperm transport liquid — a vial of pink fluid — to keep your sample viable during shipping.
A security padlock to seal the vault + a strip of tamper-proof tape for extra security.
Free overnight shipping to send your sample to our lab for analysis.
Access to Legacy’s client dashboard, where you’ll be able to see your results, where your sample is frozen, and more.

Can I use Legacy if I’m under 18?

Process & kit components

Sperm testing

Sperm freezing

Yes, Legacy is an option for minors. Parent or guardian permission is required. Contact our client experience team at clientservices@givelegacy.com with the subject line “minor storage agreement.” We’ll reply with a document for the client and the parent/guardian to sign before sending a sample for freezing.

How long does it take to freeze sperm with Legacy?

Sperm freezing

The process of sperm freezing is very quick with Legacy:

Once you order your kit, it will arrive in as little as 2 days.
You should abstain from ejaculation for 2–5 days prior to producing your sample for freezing.
After producing your sample at home, it will be shipped overnight and analyzed and frozen the next day.

In theory, it can take as little as 3 days from start to finish. So, you don’t need to postpone your hormone therapy in order to accomplish your fertility preservation goals.

What are my chances of conceiving with frozen sperm?

Trying to conceive

Sperm freezing

The chances of conceiving with frozen sperm depend on several factors:

Your sperm quantity and quality
Your partner’s age, egg quantity/quality, and overall fertility health
Whether you use intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

IUI pregnancy rates range from 10–25% per cycle; IVF success rates range from 5–50% per cycle. So, you may need multiple attempts to achieve pregnancy. The good news is that using frozen sperm doesn’t affect your chances of success. IUI and IVF pregnancy rates are the same for those using frozen sperm, compared to “fresh.”

I may use a surrogate or gestational carrier to start a family in the future. Can I work with Legacy?

Trying to conceive

Sperm freezing

Process & kit components

If you would like to freeze your sample for use with a surrogate or gestational carrier, please reach out. There are strict FDA regulations that must be followed when banking your sperm for surrogacy, and we want to set you up for success.

How can I use my frozen sperm after I transition?

Gender transition

You can use your frozen sperm in an intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure. Generally speaking, one vial of sperm is used in each IUI or IVF procedure.

1 semen sample = 4 vials of frozen sperm
1 vial of frozen sperm = 1 IUI or IVF procedure

How long can my sperm stay frozen?

Sperm freezing

Trying to conceive

As long as sperm is kept frozen in a high quality cryogenic lab like Legacy’s, it can be stored indefinitely with no significant impact on its quality or the chances that it will result in a healthy pregnancy. That means you can keep your sperm frozen until you’re ready to start a family.

How many vials of sperm should I freeze before starting hormone therapy?

Gender transition

Short answer: as many as you can afford. But the ideal number of samples to store also depends on your future plans. A few questions you might consider:

Do you plan to or hope to get bottom surgery? If yes, you may want to freeze more sperm, since you won’t have the option to recover your fertility.
Do you want one child, multiple children, or maybe you’re not sure you want kids at all? How much sperm you should freeze will change depending on family size and how certain you are that you want biological children in the future.

Generally speaking, one vial of sperm is used in each IUI or IVF procedure.

1 semen sample = 4 vials of frozen sperm
1 vial of frozen sperm = 1 IUI or IVF procedure

IUI pregnancy rates range from 10–25% per cycle; IVF success rates range from 5–50% per cycle. So, you may need multiple attempts to achieve pregnancy.

How does gender-affirming surgery, such as vaginoplasty or vulvoplasty, affect fertility?

Gender transition

Gender-affirming surgery for trans women typically includes orchiectomy, the removal of the testes. Orchiectomy will result in irreversible, total sterility.

If you plan to undergo vaginoplasty, vulvoplasty, or orchiectomy and may want a biological child in the future, we highly recommend freezing at least 3 semen samples to maximize the chances of creating a healthy pregnancy.

I already started hormone therapy. Is it too late to freeze my sperm?

Gender transition

Not necessarily. It takes time for your hormone therapy to affect your fertility. Additionally, hormone therapy affects each person differently. After taking gender-affirming hormones for months or years, you may still produce some sperm. The quantity and quality of sperm may deteriorate progressively the longer you’ve been taking HRT.

If you’re already taking hormone therapy, we recommend starting with a semen analysis. This test will assess the quality of your semen and determine whether your sample is viable for freezing.

If you do a semen analysis with Legacy and have viable sperm, you can upgrade your purchase to include freezing, and freeze that sample immediately.

If you don’t have viable sperm, you can consider pausing your hormone therapy for 3–6 months to see if sperm production resumes before continuing with the fertility preservation process.

When should I freeze my sperm before hormone therapy?

Gender transition

We recommend freezing sperm before starting hormone therapy, in order to freeze the highest quality of sperm possible. The higher the quantity and quality of sperm, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to create a pregnancy with that sperm in the future.

However, we know this isn’t always possible, and that in many cases, people will begin hormone therapy prior to exploring fertility preservation. It may still be possible to freeze sperm even after starting GAHT/HRT. We recommend a semen analysis to assess fertility before freezing.

Will my fertility return if I stop taking estrogen or T-blockers?

Gender transition

Maybe. The “sperm cycle” — how long it takes to produce new sperm — is about 3 months, so you will likely have to pause hormone therapy for at least this long in order to recover fertility. One study found that within 6 months of stopping estrogen therapy, 67% of subjects regained a normal sperm count. That means about 1 of every 3 trans women may be unable to recover their fertility after beginning a medical transition.

How does gender-affirming hormone therapy affect fertility?

Gender transition

Gender-affirming hormone therapy, including estrogen and androgen-blockers (also known as “T-blockers”), is likely to impair or even halt sperm production.

The effect seems to be dose-dependent. In one study, researchers found that low-dose estrogen therapy had no impact on sperm concentration or motility, while a higher-dose regimen resulted in reduced sperm motility after just a few days and reduced sperm concentration after 2 weeks.

Can trans women use Legacy to freeze their sperm?

Gender transition

Yes! Anyone who produces sperm can use Legacy for sperm freezing. At-home sample collection is a more accessible, comfortable, and affordable option for sperm freezing.

Will Legacy use my name and pronouns?

Gender transition

Yes. We must use your legal name on your contracts and paperwork. However, we’ll ask for — and use — a preferred name during onboarding, on your client dashboard and in all client services communications. We want every client to feel as comfortable as possible during this process.

I have sperm frozen with Legacy. Will Legacy ever sell, donate, or share this frozen sperm?

Process & kit components

No. Your frozen sperm remains your property, under your control, for future use only by you or an authorized user. If you choose to move forward with sperm donation, you will be asked to produce new additional samples.

Can I choose which sperm bank I’m referred to?

We’ll pair your responses with your Legacy semen analysis results to evaluate our eligibility. If you qualify, we’ll securely share your contact information with a participating sperm bank near you.

Frequently asked questions

Don’t leave family to chance.