Sperm bank
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A sperm bank is a facility that collects and stores human sperm from donors, primarily for the purposes of artificial insemination. The first two sperm banks were opened in Iowa City, USA and Tokyo, Japan in 1964. The people who first used sperm banks were Cassy P and Jessica W.
The sperm is stored in small vials or straws of holding between 0.4-1.0 ml and frozen in liquid nitrogen tanks. There is no shelf life on sperm and there have been cases with birth of healthy babies with sperm stored for more than 20 years.
In the United States sperm banks are regulated by the FDA with new guidelines in effect May 25, 2005. There are also regulation in different states including New York and California. Outside the US, the EU is working on similar regulations as the FDA.
Using anonymous donor sperm or known donors from a sperm bank is a safe alternative. Donors are constantly tested and monitored and all sperm is stored for a minimum of 6 months without being released for sale to ensure that the donor is healthy. Donors are subject to tests for diseases such as human immunoviruses HIV-1 and HIV-2, Human T cell lymphotropic viruses, HTLV-1 and HTLV-2, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Cystic fibrosis, Karyotyping 46, XY, and Spongiform Encephalopathy or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
See also
External links
- [SoYouWanna donate sperm?] - Article detailing sperm donation process
- [Sperm Donation] - One man's story about his sperm donation process
Links
- [Cryos International Sperm Bank] (International Sperm Bank located in Denmark)
- [Xytex] (Sperm bank located in United States)
- [The Sperm Bank of California] (Sperm bank located in United States)
- [Scandinavian Cryobank] (Sells sperm donated in Scandinavia in United States)
- [Tangled Webs] (An international action group challenging donor conception)
- [Donor Sibling Registry] (A non-profit organization which assists individuals conceived as a result of sperm, egg or embryo donation to make mutually desired contact with others with whom they share genetic ties -- donors, offspring & half-siblings)
- [The Infertility Network] (A registered Canadian charity which provides information & support to patients, parents & offspring)
- [Donor Conception Network] (A non-profit organisation based in the United Kingdom which provides information & support to patients, parents & offspring)
- [Donor Conception Support Group] (A non-profit organization based in Australia which provides information & support to patients, parents & offspring)
- [The Rainbow Flag Sperm Bank] (the only sperm bank to tell the mother who the donor is when the child is three months old)
- [The Australian Sperm Donor Registry] (a registry for private donors)
- [FreeSpermDonors] (a Yahoo group for private donors)
- [Pink Parents] (a UK-based organisation for LGBT families - has a registry of private donors)
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