More about Sperm Banking | Minnesota

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Sperm banking, in the simplest of terms, refers to the practice of storing sperm for future use. Sperm can be stored indefinitely when cryogenically frozen, and can be thawed and used to fertilize an woman’s egg. A pregnancy conceived using frozen sperm is no different from a normal pregnancy.

There are two types of sperm banks- private sperm banks, and donor sperm banks. Donor sperm banks, which many of you may have heard of, purchase sperm provided by donors and sell it to those who want children. Donors are screened and added to a database, and buyers can select which donor they prefer.

A private sperm bank, unlike a donor sperm bank, only cater to individual families. Private sperm banks may be associated with a fertility clinic, or may be a branch of a national corporation. The sperm sample is either collected locally, at a clinic, or mailed overnight through a home collection kit. Many doctors may recommend two samples taken on separate days, just to be safe.

Before the sperm can be collected, the donor’s blood must be tested for diseases that could be transmitted through sperm. This includes HIV, hepatitis B and C, and many more. If the donor tests positive for any of these the sample may be unusable.

Once collected, the a small portion of the sample is tested to see how well it holds up to freezing and thawing, and whether or not it will be viable for future use. If all goes well, the sperm is slowly frozen in liquid nitrogen tanks at -190C, where they can be kept stable almost indefinitely. Even twenty year old sperm can still be useable.

When the time comes for the sperm to be used, the bank coordinates the transfer of the frozen sperm to the fertility clinic, where it is thawed and prepared for the insemination procedure. Usually, only a small amount of sperm is required. That way, if it doesn’t work the first time, there will be enough for future attempts.

Why Sperm Banking?
Private sperm banking is excellent for men who wish to conceive a child but have lost reproductive function or have issues with infertility. It is also great for men who are unsure if they want a child, but wish to have the option later on in life. Men who plan to undergo vasectomy are good candidates to have their sperm frozen. Sperm banking is highly effective and well established method of ensuring future reproductive success.

Vasectomy and Sex Life | Minnesota

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Vasectomy is undeniably the most effective long term birth control for men, with half a million men undergoing the procedure in America every year, but some remain hesitant despite being assured of its safety and reliability. Faced with the idea of being infertile, the vasectomy can be a daunting proposition to many men. Fertility and sexual virility is heavily tied with the masculine identity, and to some vasectomy may be equivalent to surrendering some of it. Here’s why you shouldn’t worry.

A fear of many men looking to get a vasectomy is the loss of sexual desire or satisfaction after getting snipped. What many people don’t seem to realize is that vasectomy rarely affects sexual pleasure physically- when men suffer erectile dysfunction or loss of sexual arousal after vasectomy, it is almost always psychological. Physically, vasectomy should not affect libido- vasectomy is simply the severance and obstruction of the vas deferens. Besides the semen containing no semen, there should be no difference in sexual function after a vasectomy. Of course, complications exist but with innovations such as no-scalpel vasectomy making the procedure increasingly less invasive, they are incredibly rare.

Getting a vasectomy shouldn’t be seen as losing your manhood. Most men who are nervous about losing their manhood quickly realize that their sex is just as good as it was before, if not better. A study done on the effects of vasectomies on the sex lives of couples proved just that. In the study, a sample of 76 heterosexual couples were given a survey, one for the man and one for the woman, which score parameters such as sexual desire, coital satisfaction, erectile function, etc, before and after the procedure and the results were very interesting!

In men, scores on the questionnaire revealed that quality of the sex was about the same before and after the procedure. Erectile function, orasm function, sexual desire, sexual satisfaction all either increased a slight amount or stayed level. The result, though unsurprising, should put some potential patients at ease. What was much more interesting was that in women, scores were higher in almost all areas, showing significant increase in sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and overall satisfaction. Women in relationships tend to be more satisfied sexually after their partner gets a vasectomy. This is further evidence that most issues with sex after vasectomy are psychological rather than physical.

Another study examined the relationship between vasectomy and frequency of sexual intercourse in populations of vasectomized and non-vasectomized men. The results also seemed to support that sex is better after vasectomy- vasectomized men had sex an average of 5.9 times a month compared to 4.9 times per month in non vasectomized men. Furthermore, vasectomized men were 81% more likely to have at least once a week.

So if the idea of losing sexual potency after a vasectomy scares you, don’t be- there’s really nothing to worry about. Studies have shown that vasectomy either has no effect or increases sexual satisfaction, and that vasectomy actually increases the frequency of intercourse.