Sperm freezing

Sperm freezing and banking (also known as storage) is a form of fertility preservation available at our clinics in Cambridge, Colchester, Norwich and Wickford.

By choosing to freeze your sperm, you are able to keep your options open for having a child in the future.

How does it work?

Sperm can stay frozen for a long period but, under current UK legislation, the standard storage is 55 years.  This option can offer you a way to preserve your sperm if you are facing medical treatment that could compromise your future fertility.

Is it right for me?

Impending surgery, or treatment that may inhibit or damage your fertility, is the most common reason for freezing and banking sperm, for instance, cancer treatment or vasectomy surgery. If your sperm count or quality is affected by your treatment, or if a future vasectomy reversal proves unsuccessful, sperm banking – in conjunction with assisted conception techniques – may allow you to have your own biological child in the future.

What next?

You’ll have a consultation with one of our fertility specialists to discuss the procedures involved and to sign the appropriate consent forms. We recommend that you discuss the implications with one of our counsellors before freezing your sperm.

You’ll produce sperm samples at one of our clinics in Cambridge, Colchester, Norwich and Wickford, in private rooms designed to put you at ease. These samples will be frozen for your future use. You can read the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s (HFEA) information for storing sperm here.

If sperm is frozen and stored for you at the clinic, we’ll contact you each year to ask you to confirm your wishes for the next 12 months. If you wish to continue storage, you will need to pay an annual storage fee.