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Donor Testing
International Cryogenics is one of the founding members of The American Association of Tissue Banks reproductive council (AATB). AATB sets the guidelines and standards of Tissue Banking in the United States.
The screening and evaluation of the donor is the most important aspect in the current art of semen banking. Accurate and complete records are kept on all donors. These records contain information on the donor's medical history, the medical history of three generations of his family, interviews, physicals plus the results of all testing the donor has completed. These records are permanently on file at our facility.
Donors are selected and screened to provide the highest quality specimens. Donors are tested on an ongoing basis with multiple blood and culture screenings, including HIV for AIDS, Hepatitis, Cystic Fibrosis, Karyotyping for chromosome abnormalities and many others. Extensive fertility studies including a complete semen analysis, osmotic membrane integrity testing, sperm antibody testing and egg penetration assays (when necessary) are performed to ensure the donor specimens meet our high standards. The tests and measurements that are used in completing all facets of the donor screening process are the most valid in use today.
A medical history is completed on the donor and three generations of his family. Donors must have a medical history free of medical conditions that have a probable genetic link. If there is any history in the female recipient's family for genetic birth disorders, which might put them at risk for producing a child with a congenital malformation, they should inform the physician prior to any insemination. With these standards there is less risk of genetic disease transmission by donor insemination than there is in the general population.
In addition to concerns about the health of the baby, many patients are concerned about the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease such as AIDS from a donor insemination. Over the past 18 years very accurate tests have been developed which detect the presence of antibodies to HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). The test indicates if a person has been exposed to the virus, and has now formed antibodies. Each donor specimen is frozen and quarantined for a minimum of six months from the date of collection. During this quarantine period donors are tested numerous times for HIV and many other sexually transmitted diseases. The specimens are only released for use after the donor has tested negative six months after the initial date of collection. Donor insemination provides a safe alternative for patients dealing with infertility.
The American Association of Tissue Banks and ICI strongly recommend that the recipient and her partner be tested for HIV, Hepatitis and other sexually transmitted diseases prior to inseminations. This is for the protection of the unborn child.
Quality
Extensive fertility studies are done on the donors prior to being accepted in our donor program. Each donor specimen is analyzed before and after it is frozen to ensure the highest quality specimens. The standard ICI vials contain a minimum of 20 million motile sperm. Washed IUI ready specimens are available on most of our donors and contain 10 million motile sperm. We also have ART specimens available that are suitable for use in Assisted Reproductive Technologies such as IVF or ICSI. ART ICI vials will have a minimum of 10 million motile sperm and ART IUI will have a minimum of 5 million motile sperm per vial.
