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The term sperm donation is not the hush-hush phrase that couples whisper to each other and hide from each other anymore. Talking about a sperm donor or becoming a Sperm Donor is not a problem any longer. But in this new sense of openness, there is misinformation that is being presented to couples. And that can cause problems with fully understanding the process of donating eggs and sperm.
Starting with the basics, male sperm can sometimes be in short supply. Whether the man can not produce enough on his own or his sperm motility isn't enough to penetrate the egg, male infertility does happen - though it's not as clear to diagnose when it does. Everything can seem to be working well, but under closer examination, sperm counts can be low or sperm production may not be making the best of swimmers. In these two cases, there are several things that can be done.
When these troubles first come up, the first course of action is normally to try to increase sperm counts. The cause of low sperm count can be difficult to determine. Sometimes, it's caused by environmental problems, like tighter pants or putting too much pressure on the penis and scrotum during physical activities. Human sperm is very sensitive as it is held outside of the body and can be prone to changes in heat, cold, and intense movement. In other cases, there may be a medical disorder that is preventing more sperms from being produced.
Like men with a low sperm count, women too can be affected by low counts of eggs. In these cases, they may have 'run out' of eggs before they could conceive a child, resulting in the need for a donor egg.
To help increase sperms, doctors can try a number of medications as well as check to see if the urethra opening is blocked in any way. The doctor will also want to check to make sure that the sperm is being produced in the testes. Once the cause has been determined (or the multiple causes), the physician will plot a course of treatment and see if the sperm count can be increased. These treatment options can also help to increase sperm health for those that have less than motile sperm. If these treatments do not work, there are other options to consider.
A sperm bank is where donor sperm is collected in order to give couples the chance to conceive. Healthy donors come in, give sperm donations that the office then banks for later use. They bank sperm through a process called sperm cryopreservation - in short, they freeze the sperm. This allows the sperm to be stored for long periods of time (indefinitely, according to some reports) and then thawed when needed for a couple. How long does sperm live after being donated? When the frozen sperm are frozen, they will be temporarily numbed, but able to be revived. The only trouble is that the donation sperm may not have as many active sperm ready for the conception process, as some will not survive the thawing process.
Sperm banking is a great way for couples with low sperm counts or immotile sperm to have the chance to still conceive a child. While the sperm won't be from the father, the egg can still be from the mother. And in some cases when the mom can't produce an egg, she can use an egg donor along with a sperm donor. While it might seem like science is taking over the sperm fertilization process, without this sperm bank option, many children may not have been born today - and that's a more frightening thought.
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