Skip to main content

Sperm Banking: When, Why, and How?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Male Infertility

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Urology ((CCU))

Abstract

Cryopreservation is the collection, freezing, and long-term storage of sperm, and is a highly effective method of protecting male fertility potential. Cryopreservation of semen is a vital procedure which can be employed for a variety of purposes, including donor insemination and the preservation of gametes in patients undergoing gonadotoxic treatment. It also may be helpful to fertile couples who experience difficulty conceiving (Thomson et al. 2009). The increasing success of cancer treatment and concerted efforts to ensure quality of life after successful treatment have placed great emphasis on the need to preserve the reproductive capability of young men.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abdel-Hafez F, Bedaiwy M, El-Nashar SA, Sabanegh E, Desai N. Techniques for cryopreservation of individual or small numbers of human spermatozoa: a systematic review. Hum Reprod Update 2009; 15(2): 153–164

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Achille MA, Rosberger Z, Robitaille R, et al. Facilitators and obstacles to sperm banking in young men receiving gonadotoxic chemotherapy for cancer: the perspective of survivors and health care professionals. Hum Reprod 2006; 21(12): 3206–3216

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Agarwal A, Allamaneni S. Disruption of spermatogenesis by the cancer disease process. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2005; 34: 9–12

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Agarwal A, Shekarriz M, Sidhu RK, Thomas AJ Jr. Value of clinical diagnosis in predicting the quality of cryopreserved sperm from cancer patients. J Urol 1996; 155(3): 934–938

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Agarwal A, Ranganathan P, Kattal N, et al. Fertility after cancer: a prospective review of assisted reproductive outcome with banked semen specimens. Fertil Steril 2004; 81(2): 342–348

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • American Cancer Society. Cancer facts and figures 2005. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society, 2005, pp. 1–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Audrins P, Holden CA, McLachlan RI, Kovacs GT. Semen storage for special purposes at Monash IVF from 1977 to 1997. Fertil Steril 1999; 72(1): 179–181

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bahadur G. Fertility issues for cancer patients. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2000; 169: 117–122

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bahadur G, Ozturk O, Muneer A, et al. Semen quality before and after gonadotoxic treatment. Hum Reprod 2005; 20(3): 774–781

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bazeos A, Al Sdhawaf T, Lower A, Wilson C, Grudzinskas JG. Preservation of reproductive capacity in cancer patients. Reprod Technol 1999; 10: 42–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger T, Marrs RP, Moyler DL. Comparison of techniques for selection of motile spermatozoa. Fertil Steril 1985; 43(2): 268–273

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonetti TC, Pasqualotto FF, Queiroz P, Iaconelli A Jr., Borges E Jr. Sperm banking for male cancer patients: social and semen profiles. Int Braz J Urol 2009; 35(2): 190–197

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Botchan A, Hauser R, Gamzu R, et al. Sperm quality in Hodgkin’s disease versus non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Hum Reprod 1997; 12(1): 73–76

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chung K, Irani J, Knee G, Efymow B, Blasco L, Patrizio P. Sperm cryopreservation for male patients with cancer: an epidemiological analysis at the University of Pennsylvania. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2004; 113(Suppl 1): S7–S11

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke GN. Sperm cryopreservation: is there a significant risk of cross-contamination? Hum Reprod 1999; 14(12): 2941–2943

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Colpi GM, Contalbi GF, Nerva F, Sagone P, Piediferro G. Testicular function following chemo-radiotherapy. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2004; 113(Suppl 1): S2–S6

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Craft I, Bennett V, Nicholson N. Fertilising ability of testicular spermatozoa. Lancet 1993; 342(8875): 864

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crha I, Ventruba P, Zakova J, et al. Survival and infertility treatment in male cancer patients after sperm banking. Fertil Steril 2009; 91(6): 2344–2348

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Vries MC, Bresters D, Engberts DP, Wit JM, van Leeuwen E. Attitudes of physicians and parents towards discussing ­infertility risks and semen cryopreservation with male ­adolescents diagnosed with cancer. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009; 53(3): 386–391

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Devroey P, Liu J, Nagy Z, et al. Pregnancies after testicular sperm extraction and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in non-obstructive azoospermia. Hum Reprod 1995; 10(6): 1457–1460

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly ET, McClure N, Lewis SE. Cryopreservation of human semen and prepared sperm: effects on motility parameters and DNA integrity. Fertil Steril 2001; 76(5): 892–900

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edelstein A, Yavetz H, Kleiman SE, et al. Effect of long-term storage on deoxyribonucleic acid damage and motility of sperm bank donor specimens. Fertil Steril 2008; 90(4): 1327–1330

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edge B, Holmes D, Makin G. Sperm banking in adolescent cancer patients. Arch Dis Child 2006; 91(2): 149–152

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenberg ML, Smith JF, Millstein SG, Walsh TJ, Breyer BN, Katz PP. Perceived negative consequences of donor gametes from male and female members of infertile couples. Fertil Steril 2010; 94(3): 921–926

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Esteves SC, Sharma RK, Thomas AJ Jr., Agarwal A. Effect of in vitro incubation on spontaneous acrosome reaction in fresh and cryopreserved human spermatozoa. Int J Fertil Womens Med 1998; 43(5): 235–242

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Esteves SC, Sharma RK, Thomas AJ Jr., Agarwal A. Improvement in motion characteristics and acrosome status in cryopreserved human spermatozoa by swim-up processing before freezing. Hum Reprod 2000; 15(10): 2173–2179

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Glander HJ, Schaller J. Binding of annexin V to plasma membranes of human spermatozoa: a rapid assay for detection of membrane changes after cryostorage. Mol Hum Reprod 1999; 5(2): 109–115

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grunewald S, Paasch U, Glander HJ. Enrichment of non-apoptotic human spermatozoa after cryopreservation by immunomagnetic cell sorting. Cell Tissue Bank 2001; 2(3): 127–133

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grunewald S, Paasch U, Said TM, Rasch M, Agarwal A, Glander HJ. Magnetic-activated cell sorting before cryopreservation preserves mitochondrial integrity in human spermatozoa. Cell Tissue Bank 2006; 7(2): 99–104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hallak J, Kolettis PN, Sekhon VS, Thomas AJ Jr., Agarwal A. Cryopreservation of sperm from patients with leukemia: is it worth the effort? Cancer 1999; 85(9): 1973–1978

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hallak J, Sharma RK, Wellstead C, Agarwal A. Cryopreservation of human spermatozoa: comparison of TEST-yolk buffer and glycerol. Int J Fertil Womens Med 2000; 45(1): 38–42

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hiemstra SJ, van der Lende T, Woelders H. The potential of cryopreservation and reproductive technologies for animal genetic resources conservation strategies. Turin, Italy: Villa Gualino, 2005

    Google Scholar 

  • Hourvitz A, Goldschlag DE, Davis OK, Gosden LV, Palermo GD, Rosenwaks Z. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using cryopreserved sperm from men with malignant neoplasm yields high pregnancy rates. Fertil Steril 2008; 90(3): 557–563

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howell SJ, Shalet SM. Effect of cancer therapy on pituitary–testicular axis. Int J Androl 2002; 25(5): 269–276

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Howell SJ, Shalet SM. Spermatogenesis after cancer treatment: damage and recovery. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2005; 34: 12–17

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huyghe E, Martinetti P, Sui D, Schover LR. Banking on fatherhood: pilot studies of a computerized educational tool on sperm banking before cancer treatment. Psychooncology 2009; 18(9): 1011–1014

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ishikawa T, Shiotani M, Izumi Y, et al. Fertilization and ­pregnancy using cryopreserved testicular sperm for intracytoplasmic sperm injection with azoospermia. Fertil Steril 2009; 92(1): 174–179

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joint Council for Clinical Oncology. Management of gonadal toxicity resulting from the treatment of adult cancer. London, UK: Royal College of Physicians, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelleher S, Wishart SM, Liu PY, et al. Long-term outcomes of elective human sperm cryostorage. Hum Reprod 2001; 16(12): 2632–2639

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kliesch S, Bergmann M, Hertle L, Nieschlag E, Behre HM. Semen parameters and testicular pathology in men with testicular cancer and contralateral carcinoma in situ or bilateral testicular malignancies. Hum Reprod 1997a; 12(12): 2830–2835

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kliesch S, Kamischke A, Cooper TG, Nieschlag E. Andrology. Cryopreservation of human spermatozoa. Berlin: Springer, 1997b, pp. 505–520

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi H, Larson K, Sharma RK, et al. DNA damage in patients with untreated cancer as measured by the sperm chromatin structure assay. Fertil Steril 2001a; 75(3): 469–475

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kobayashi H, Ranganathan P, Mahran AM, Sharma RK, Thomas AJ, Agarwal A. Comparison of two cryopreservation protocols for freezing human spermatozoa. Fertil Steril 2001b; 76(3 Suppl 1): S229–S230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolettis PN, Sabanegh ES, D’amico AM, Box L, Sebesta M, Burns JR. Outcomes for vasectomy reversal performed after obstructive intervals of at least 10 years. Urology 2002; 60(5): 885–888

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lass A, Akagbosu F, Abusheikha N, et al. A programme of semen cryopreservation for patients with malignant disease in a tertiary infertility centre: lessons from 8 years’ experience. Hum Reprod 1998; 13(11): 3256–3261

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee SJ, Schover LR, Partridge AH, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology recommendations on fertility preservation in cancer patients. J Clin Oncol 2006; 24(18): 2917–2931

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Manning M, Junemann KP, Alken P. Decrease in testosterone blood concentrations after testicular sperm extraction for intracytoplasmic sperm injection in azoospermic men. Lancet 1998; 352(9121): 37

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meirow D, Schiff E. Appraisal of chemotherapy effects on reproductive outcome according to animal studies and clinical data. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2005; 34: 21–25

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meseguer M, Molina N, Garcia-Velasco JA, Remohi J, Pellicer A, Garrido N. Sperm cryopreservation in oncological patients: a 14-year follow-up study. Fertil Steril 2006; 85(3): 640–645

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nallella KP, Sharma RK, Allamaneni SS, Aziz N, Agarwal A. Cryopreservation of human spermatozoa: comparison of two cryopreservation methods and three cryoprotectants. Fertil Steril 2004; 82(4): 913–918

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nawroth F, Isachenko V, Dessole S, et al. Vitrification of human spermatozoa without cryoprotectants. CryoLetters 2002; 23(2): 93–102

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ozkavukcu S, Erdemli E, Isik A, Oztuna D, Karahuseyinoglu S. Effects of cryopreservation on sperm parameters and ultrastructural morphology of human spermatozoa. J Assist Reprod Genet 2008; 25(8): 403–411

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Padron OF, Sharma RK, Thomas AJ Jr., Agarwal A. Effects of cancer on spermatozoa quality after cryopreservation: a 12-year experience. Fertil Steril 1997; 67(2): 326–331

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palermo G, Joris H, Devroey P, Van Steirteghem AC. Pregnancies after intracytoplasmic injection of single spermatozoon into an oocyte. Lancet 1992; 340(8810): 17–18

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paras L, Freisinger J, Esterbauer B, Schmeller N, Szlauer R, Jungwirth A. Cryopreservation technique: comparison of Test yolk buffer versus SpermCryo and vapour versus computerised freezing. Andrologia 2008; 40(1): 18–22

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Puscheck E, Philipp PA, Jeyendran RS. Male fertility preservation and cancer treatment. Cancer Treat Rev 2004; 30(2): 173–180

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ragni G, Caccamo AM, Dalla Serra AD, Guercilena S. Computerized slow-staged freezing of semen from men with testicular tumors or Hodgkin’s disease preserves sperm better than standard vapor freezing. Fertil Steril 1990; 53(6): 1072–1075

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ragni G, Somigliana E, Restelli L, Salvi R, Arnoldi M, Paffoni A. Sperm banking and rate of assisted reproduction treatment: insights from a 15-year cryopreservation program for male cancer patients. Cancer 2003; 97(7): 1624–1629

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reed ML, Ezeh PC, Hamic A, Thompson DJ, Caperton CL. Soy lecithin replaces egg yolk for cryopreservation of human sperm without adversely affecting postthaw motility, morphology, sperm DNA integrity, or sperm binding to hyaluronate. Fertil Steril 2009; 92(5): 1787–1790

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Revel A, Haimov-Kochman R, Porat A, et al. In vitro fertilization–intracytoplasmic sperm injection success rates with cryopreserved sperm from patients with malignant disease. Fertil Steril 2005; 84(1): 118–122

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rueffer U, Breuer K, Josting A, et al. Male gonadal dysfunction in patients with Hodgkin’s disease prior to treatment. Ann Oncol 2001; 12(9): 1307–1311

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Russell LD, Rogers BJ. Improvement in the quality and fertilization potential of a human sperm population using the rise technique. J Androl 1987; 8(1): 25–33

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Said TM, Grunewald S, Paasch U, Rasch M, Agarwal A, Glander HJ. Effects of magnetic-activated cell sorting on sperm motility and cryosurvival rates. Fertil Steril 2005; 83(5): 1442–1446

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Said T, Agarwal A, Zborowski M, Grunewald S, Glander H, Paasch U. Utility of magnetic cell separation as a molecular sperm preparation technique. J Androl 2008; 29(2): 134–142

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sant M, Aareleid T, Artioli ME, Berrino F, et al. Ten-year survival and risk of relapse for testicular cancer: a EUROCARE high resolution study. Eur J Cancer 2007; 43(3): 585–592

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schlegel PN, Su LM. Physiological consequences of testicular sperm extraction. Hum Reprod 1997; 12(8): 1688–1692

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt KL, Larsen E, Bangsboll S, Meinertz H, Carlsen E, Andersen AN. Assisted reproduction in male cancer survivors: fertility treatment and outcome in 67 couples. Hum Reprod 2004; 19(12): 2806–2810

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schover LR, Brey K, Lichtin A, Lipshultz LI, Jeha S. Knowledge and experience regarding cancer, infertility, and sperm banking in younger male survivors. J Clin Oncol 2002a; 20(7): 1880–1889

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schover LR, Brey K, Lichtin A, Lipshultz LI, Jeha S. Oncologists’ attitudes and practices regarding banking sperm before cancer treatment. J Clin Oncol 2002b; 20(7): 1890–1897

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schoysman R, Vanderzwalmen P, Nijs M, et al. Pregnancy after fertilisation with human testicular spermatozoa. Lancet 1993; 342(8881): 1237

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schrader M, Heicappell R, Muller M, Straub B, Miller K. Impact of chemotherapy on male fertility. Onkologie 2001a; 24(4): 326–330

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schrader M, Muller M, Straub B, Miller K. The impact of chemotherapy on male fertility: a survey of the biologic basis and clinical aspects. Reprod Toxicol 2001b; 15(6): 611–617

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman JK. Current status of clinical cryobanking of human semen. In: Paulson JD, Negro-Vlar A, Lucena E, Martini L (eds.) Andrology: male fertility and sterility. Orlando, FL: Academic Press, 1986, pp. 517–547

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomson LK, Fleming SD, Aitken RJ, De Iuliis GN, Zieschang JA, Clark AM. Cryopreservation-induced human sperm DNA damage is predominantly mediated by oxidative stress rather than apoptosis. Hum Reprod 2009; 24(9): 2061–2070

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tournaye H, Goossens E, Verheyen G, et al. Preserving the reproductive potential of men and boys with cancer: current concepts and future prospects. Hum Reprod Update 2004; 10(6): 525–532

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van Casteren NJ, van Santbrink EJ, van Inzen W, Romijn JC, Dohle GR. Use rate and assisted reproduction technologies outcome of cryopreserved semen from 629 cancer patients. Fertil Steril 2008; 90(6): 2245–2250

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Verheyen G, Pletincx I, Van Steirtegham A. Effect of freezing methods, thawing temperature, and post-thaw dilution/washing on motility (CASA) and morphology characteristics of high-quality human sperm. Hum Reprod 1993; 8: 1672–1684

    Google Scholar 

  • Westlander G, Rosenlund B, Soderlund B, Wood M, Bergh C. Sperm retrieval, fertilization, and pregnancy outcome in repeated testicular sperm aspiration. J Assist Reprod Genet 2001; 18(3): 171–177

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams DH IV, Karpman E, Sander JC, Spiess PE, Pisters LL, Lipshultz LI. Pretreatment semen parameters in men with cancer. J Urol 2009; 181(2): 736–740

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yildiz C, Ottaviani P, Law N, Ayearst R, Liu L, McKerlie C. Effects of cryopreservation on sperm quality, nuclear DNA integrity, in vitro fertilization, and in vitro embryo development in the mouse. Reproduction 2007; 133(3): 585–595

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zapzalka DM, Redmon JB, Pryor JL. A survey of oncologists regarding sperm cryopreservation and assisted reproductive techniques for male cancer patients. Cancer 1999; 86(9): 1812–1817

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ashok Agarwal .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Gupta, S., Sekhon, L.H., Agarwal, A. (2011). Sperm Banking: When, Why, and How?. In: Sabanegh, E. (eds) Male Infertility. Current Clinical Urology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-193-6_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-193-6_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-60761-192-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-60761-193-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics