Who freezes sperm
Sperm cryopreservation is used before medical treatment that may affect fertility (chemotherapy, radiation, some autoimmune therapies), before gender-affirming care, before surgery on the reproductive tract, before military deployment or other extended travel, and by patients with a diagnosis that affects sperm quality over time.
What the workup looks like
A semen analysis measures concentration, motility, and morphology. When results are outside the expected range, additional testing may include hormone levels (FSH, LH, testosterone), a physical exam, DNA-fragmentation testing in select cases, and imaging when structural questions arise. Referral to a reproductive urologist is common when a treatable cause is suspected.
The cryopreservation process
Samples are produced at the clinic or at home, transported per lab protocol, analyzed, and cryopreserved for long-term storage. Several samples are usually banked when there is time. When ejaculation is not possible, options include electroejaculation, testicular sperm extraction (TESE), or microdissection TESE, coordinated with a urologist.
Using frozen sperm later
Frozen sperm is used in IUI or IVF cycles depending on the count and motility after thaw and the reproductive plan. When sperm counts are very low, ICSI — injection of a single sperm into an egg — is typically the technique of choice.
Male-factor infertility in couples
Male-factor issues account for a meaningful share of infertility evaluations. Treatment ranges from lifestyle modifications and medications, to surgical correction of anatomic problems, to advanced sperm-retrieval techniques combined with IVF and ICSI.