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Book a consultationWhether you want to have children in the near future, or just someday, there is no better time to plan for and preserve your future fertility than now.
Take control of your fertility journey today. Get started with an OHIP covered consultation with one of our fertility doctors.
Sperm freezing, or sperm cryopreservation, is the process of collecting, freezing and storing sperm. The sperm can be thawed and used in the future for procedures such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Book a consultationThere are many reasons to consider freezing your sperm:
You have low sperm count: Some cases of low sperm count cause a progressive decline over time. Cryopreservation allows you to freeze sperm at its healthiest state and use banked sperm now or in the future for fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic spermatic injection (ICSI), or intrauterine insemination (IUI).
You have a medical condition or are about to undergo a treatment that affects your sperm count:Certain medical conditions and treatment, such as cancer treatments, can affect sperm quality and quantity. Freezing sperm beforehand safeguards your ability to have children after your treatment is complete.
You are about to have a vasectomy: Ensure sperm is available in case you change your mind about having (more) children.
Scheduling Conflicts: If you're away frequently during your partner's ovulation period, having frozen sperm can ensure you don't miss the fertility window.
Aging and Reproductive Health: As men age, sperm quality diminishes. Freezing sperm in your 30s or 40s can be a proactive step towards a healthy family in the future.
Gender Affirming Care: :Transgender individuals with functioning testes may wish to freeze sperm prior to commencing gender-affirming treatment. These treatments may affect the ability of the testes to produce sperm or remove the testes completely.
Our andrology team places prepared sperm into a special freezing solution in small vials that are then stored in freezers that contain liquid nitrogen. The sperm stays frozen at a constant temperature until you are ready to use it.
At Pollin, the initial consultation for sperm freezing, which includes a comprehensive fertility assessment, is covered by OHIP. However, the costs for the sperm freezing procedure itself, including any advanced testing that may be required, are not covered.
Did you know?
Many employer benefit plans include fertility treatments as part of their annual coverage. Consult with your HR department or insurance provider to explore what may be available to you.
To learn more about the cost of Sperm Freezing, visit our pricing page
According to current research, sperm tends to be healthiest between the ages of 18-35. Much like egg quality, sperm quality also declines with age just not as rapidly. Although sperm is ideally frozen before the age of 40, sperm freezing remains a good option for men and anyone with testes even over the age of 40 who are in good general health with no history of cancer or other hereditary disease.
Your Pollin physician will go over your personal fertility health and family building goals to ensure Sperm Freezing is right for you.
Frozen (or vitrified) sperm has been successfully stored for decades and used to achieve pregnancy. Our advanced cryopreservation methods used at Pollin allow you to rest assured that your sperm will be safely stored for if, and when, you are ready to use it.
At Pollin, we aim to make fertility care as accessible as possible. If you have a family physician, you can ask them to complete a referral form found on our website (under “Referring MDs”) and we will contact you upon receipt.
No referral? Not a problem!
Book your first consultation through our website without a referral and we will facilitate one for you through our medical partner (covered by OHIP).
Step One
Every Sperm Freezing procedure begins with an in-depth consultation with one of our fertility doctors to review your personal and family medical history and discuss your future family building goals.
Step two
Your doctor will order a series of personalized tests to determine your current reproductive and sperm health. Typical tests include:
Comprehensive Blood Work:
Your blood tests may include various evaluations for immune system health, genetic and infectious disease screening, thyroid health, a complete blood count (CBC) and for all reproductive hormones:
- Testosterone: measures the primary male sex hormone
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH): evaluates pituitary function and testosterone production
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH): Assesses sperm production and testicular function
- Prolactin: High levels can impact testosterone and sperm production
Semen Analysis:
A sperm sample is used to test sperm health for volume, concentration (number of sperm), motility (ability to swim), morphology (sperm shape, and if there are any infections present. Your doctor may also order additional testing on your sample based on information gathered during your consultation.
Advanced Testing:
Depending on your personal and family medical history, your doctor may also order further testing to include ultrasounds to assess your reproductive organs and other advanced genetic and sperm function tests.
Step three
Once all your diagnostic tests are in, your doctor will review the results with you and create your sperm freezing plan based on the findings and your future family building goals. In some cases, more testing, and or treatment, may be required before proceeding with cryopreservation, all of which will be explained to you prior to proceeding.
Step four
A sperm collection appointment at the clinic or a drop off window for sperm collected at home, will be booked for you by your care team.Upon arrival at the clinic, you will check in with the Andrology team and be provided with instruction and everything you need to provide your sperm.
After your sperm is collected it goes through 4 steps:
1. Preparation: the andrologist prepares your sperm by isolating it from the seminal fluid using a centrifuge.
2. Washing: your sperm is combined, and “washed” with a special solution to remove any remaining fluid and debris, enhancing the quality of the sperm.
3. Protect: your sperm is mixed with a freezing solution that protects the cells during the cryopreservation process and placed in small vials. The number of vials you will have is determined by the amount of sperm produced.
4. Storage: your sperm vials are stored safely and securely in Pollin’s state-of-the-art cryopreservation freezers that use liquid nitrogen to maintain an exact, low temperature until they are needed for future use.
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