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.