{"id":15259,"date":"2021-08-06T00:42:06","date_gmt":"2021-08-06T00:42:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/?post_type=resource&#038;p=2949"},"modified":"2023-12-22T23:25:12","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T23:25:12","slug":"freezing-sperm-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/resources\/freezing-sperm-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you freeze sperm at home?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/guide-to-sperm-freezing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sperm freezing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offers many benefits, including the flexibility to start a family later in life and being prepared with a back-up plan. Cryopreservation of sperm is growing in popularity for these reasons and more. Many who have just been introduced to the idea will wonder: can you freeze sperm at home? Does it require a specialized lab, or will your home freezer work?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While freezing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/what-is-sperm\/\">sperm<\/a> at home seems simple enough, you definitely don&#8217;t want to take chances with the DIY route. Read on to learn why freezing sperm at home in your freezer isn&#8217;t possible, and to learn about an affordable alternative method.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Takeaways:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can\u2019t freeze your sperm in a household freezer, as the process requires a special lab and liquid nitrogen storage tanks.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mail-in sperm freezing kits offer the option to cryopreserve your sperm without visiting a fertility clinic or sperm bank.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At-home sperm freezing offers more privacy, comfort, and convenience, plus more affordable storage fees.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-1329ae13\">\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-4fd5cacd\">\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-6446e806\">\n\n<figure class=\"gb-block-image gb-block-image-6ce995b8\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"540\" class=\"gb-image gb-image-6ce995b8\" src=\"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/openingkit_donniemodel_livingroom_540x5401721323944.webp\" alt=\"Man opening Legacy at-home sperm testing kit\" title=\"openingkit_donniemodel_livingroom_540x5401721323944\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/openingkit_donniemodel_livingroom_540x5401721323944.webp 540w, https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/openingkit_donniemodel_livingroom_540x5401721323944-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/openingkit_donniemodel_livingroom_540x5401721323944-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/openingkit_donniemodel_livingroom_540x5401721323944-345x345.webp 345w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-8c34c375\">\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-9ee56c41 gb-headline-text gb-headline-545ba7d5\">Considering sperm freezing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-3bce79ad gb-headline-text gb-headline-864305d0\">Answer a few questions and we\u2019ll build a plan for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<style>\na:link {\n  text-decoration: none;\n}\n<\/style>\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-container gb-container-219b7976 legacy-segment\" href=\"https:\/\/quiz.givelegacy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-segment=\"{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Quiz Opened&quot;,&quot;options&quot;:{&quot;element_id&quot;:&quot;c26a4ae6-412d-49d0-8e79-bd83a461cdcc&quot;}}\">\n\n<p class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-f4eb10ab gb-headline-text gb-headline-85062f44 btn-link\">Get started<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"gb-block-image gb-block-image-563d254a\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"48\" height=\"49\" class=\"gb-image gb-image-563d254a\" src=\"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/wp-content\/uploads\/icons\/arrow-right-circle-2.png\" alt=\"arrow-right-circle-white\" title=\"arrow-right-circle-white\"\/><\/figure>\n\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can I freeze my sperm in a household freezer?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although sperm freezing <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">seems<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as simple as producing a sample and sticking it in a freezer, there&#8217;s more to it than that. Let\u2019s review the process of sperm freezing to understand why sperm freezing in a household freezer isn\u2019t an option.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process of sperm freezing<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When someone chooses to freeze their sperm, they will produce a semen sample via masturbation. The first step in the process is a semen analysis. This ensures that you are freezing healthy, viable sperm, instead of a sample that doesn&#8217;t have a strong chance of surviving or creating a pregnancy. During a semen analysis, a lab scientist will examine your sperm sample to see if your sperm count\/concentration (how many sperm), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/sperm-quality\/\">motility<\/a> (how sperm are moving), or morphology (how sperm are shaped) are abnormal.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/sperm-testing-guide\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sperm testing<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another important step in the sperm freezing process is a post-thaw analysis. During a post-thaw analysis, a small portion of your sample is frozen and then thawed \u2014 to replicate the conditions your sperm will experience in the future \u2014 and then analyzed to determine how many sperm survived. The post-thaw analysis is the best indicator for how many sperm will be viable and motile when you are ready to use your frozen sample.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/post-thaw-analysis-500x394.png\" alt=\"post thaw semen analysis\" class=\"wp-image-2455\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before being frozen, sperm should be \u201cwashed,\u201d a term for preparing it by removing the plasma of the semen and any contaminants. This process requires specific laboratory solutions and a centrifuge, a machine that quickly spins samples to separate the sperm from the rest of the seminal fluid.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sperm must be preserved in liquid nitrogen at -196\u00baC in order to be viable in the future. Then, they must be kept stored at -196\u00baC \u2014 the temperature at which all biological activity pauses \u2014 constantly in order to maintain their viability. At higher temperatures without transport media, sperm will die in a matter of hours to days.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is achieved at a cryostorage facility with the use of large liquid nitrogen tanks. The average household freezer isn&#8217;t able to produce anywhere near as low as the required temperature for sperm storage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you understand the process of sperm cryopreservation and storage, it&#8217;s safe to say you\u2019ll understand why sperm freezing is not something that can be accomplished with a freezer at home.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right way to freeze sperm at home<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although you can\u2019t use your household freezer to freeze your sperm, visiting a fertility clinic or sperm bank isn&#8217;t your <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">only<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> option for cryopreservation. Freezing sperm at home with a Legacy <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/sperm-freezing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at-home sperm freezing kit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> allows for privacy, discretion, and significant savings.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a Legacy kit, you can produce a sample from the comfort of your own home and overnight that sample to a lab. There, we\u2019ll analyze, process, and store your sperm for as long as you need.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Legacy-Sperm-Analysis-Kit-Open-500x273.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2500\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does the at-home sperm freezing process look like with Legacy?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don&#8217;t want to visit a fertility clinic or are seeking a more affordable option for sperm cryopreservation, then an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/sperm-freezing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at-home sperm freezing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> kit is a great option. You can receive a full sperm analysis, personalized recommendations, telehealth services with a fertility specialist, and secure storage \u2014 all without ever leaving your home.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s recommended that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/guide-to-sperm-freezing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">before you freeze your sperm<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you have blood work done to screen for infectious diseases, including STIs. This is so your sample can be used in a lab that requires this screening, if necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step to freezing sperm with Legacy is to order an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/sperm-freezing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at-home sperm freezing kit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You\u2019ll be mailed a kit that comes with a secure storage vessel to protect your sample during shipment, and a transport media to keep your sample viable during overnight shipping.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legacy\u2019s kits allow you to produce a semen sample in the comfort of your own home. This is more private and less uncomfortable for many than the traditional process: making an appointment, sitting in a waiting room, and then producing a sample sample in a stark, clinical collection room.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you order an at-home sperm freezing kit with Legacy, it comes with a clinic-grade sperm analysis and personalized recommendations to improve your fertility. You can choose plans that include telehealth services, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/sperm-dna-fragmentation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sperm DNA fragmentation analysis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sperm samples frozen with Legacy are kept in \u201cmulti-site storage,\u201d meaning that they are sent to multiple locations to mitigate any risk (however small). The cost of yearly multi-site cryogenic storage with Legacy is as low as $20 per sample \u2014 a fraction of the cost you&#8217;d expect with a fertility clinic or sperm bank, which can be upwards of $500 per year.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/order\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See your sperm testing and freezing options.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sperm freezing success rates<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A recent <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0069838\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> shows that frozen sperm works just as well as fresh sperm for in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When a frozen semen sample is thawed, around 50\u201375% of the sperm survives. If the semen sample was high quality and healthy, this should still give you a good chance of achieving pregnancy with an insemination. Healthy semen samples have sperm counts ranging from 15 million to 200 million or more sperm per milliliter of semen, with 40% motility or higher. Semen samples with over 8 million total motile sperm count perform most effectively in IUI.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number of sperm samples you should freeze depends on both your sperm health and your family planning goals. For example, if you are planning for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a single ejaculate sample \u2014 or about 4 vials of frozen sperm \u2014 may suffice. But with IUI, where success rates are lower, 3\u20135 vials of sperm is recommended per pregnancy you hope to have. If you&#8217;re unsure about the amount of sperm you should freeze, it&#8217;s best to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/contact\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">speak with a fertility specialist<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sperm-freezing-success-rates-406x400.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2984\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Who should consider sperm freezing and why?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are people who may consider freezing their sperm. This includes:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who want to have children later in life, after the age of 35. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/resources\/age-limit-on-male-fertility\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">age and male fertility<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cancer patients, before undergoing treatment.&nbsp; <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/resources\/chemotherapy-and-male-fertility-effects-and-defenses\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">chemotherapy and male fertility<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trans women, before undergoing medical gender confirmation surgery. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/fertility-and-sperm-freezing-trans-women\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fertility preservation for trans women<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who work in high-risk occupations or environments, such as welding, plastic production, or radiology.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Military personnel, especially before deployment. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/military\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sperm freezing for the military<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those considering a vasectomy who still want options.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anyone who wants peace of mind about their fertility.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While this list isn&#8217;t comprehensive, it highlights some of the primary reasons why someone would want to freeze their sperm. Sperm freezing provides you with more options, flexibility, and control over your fertility.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Historically, cryopreservation of sperm has not always been attainable for all due to availability of fertility clinics in certain geographic locations and the high costs. Thankfully, at-home kits have made sperm freezing convenient and affordable. If you are interested in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/sperm-freezing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sperm freezing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you can ensure your legacy today by ordering the right <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/givelegacy.com\/order\/#cryo-storage\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at-home sperm freezing kit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for you.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-006ecb10\">\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-0ca2927e\">\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-81096afb\">\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-56736abf gb-headline-text\">Get Legacy\u2019s guide to freezing your best sperm \u2014 so you can have a family when you\u2019re ready.<\/h2>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-ba055799\">\n\n<div class=\"klaviyo-form-YhRvWN\"><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sperm freezing offers many benefits, including the flexibility to start a family later in life and being prepared with a back-up plan. Cryopreservation of sperm is growing in popularity for these reasons and more. Many who have just been introduced to the idea will wonder: can you freeze sperm at home? Does it require a specialized lab, or will your home freezer work? While freezing sperm at home seems simple enough, you definitely don&#8217;t want to take chances with the DIY route. Read on to learn why freezing sperm at home in your freezer isn&#8217;t possible, and to learn about an affordable alternative method.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":15771,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"How to freeze your sperm at home: the best way to preserve your fertility","_seopress_titles_desc":"Sperm freezing offers many benefits. Can you freeze sperm at home? Does it require a specialized lab? Will a home freezer work? Learn more.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[90,45,214,10,31,47,216,33],"tags":[39,82,38,238,246],"class_list":["post-15259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sperm-freezing","category-considering-vasectomy","category-family-planning-for-the-military","category-freezing-sperm","category-lgbtq-plus","category-sperm-freezing-vasectomy-2","category-sperm-freezing-family-planning-for-the-military","category-trans-fertility-lgbtq-plus","tag-cost-of-fertility-treatment","tag-fertility-treatment","tag-sperm-freezing","tag-sperm-freezing-cost","tag-virtual-fertility-care"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15259"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15259"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33401,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15259\/revisions\/33401"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.givelegacy.com\/vnext\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}