Hi everyone, I’m in a bit of a dilemma and could really use some guidance. I’ve been wondering if a semen specimen has to be produced on the day of egg retrieval, or if it can wait? Unfortunately, my husband won’t be available on the day of egg retrieval, so I’m worried about what our options might be in this situation. Has anyone else been through something similar or have any advice to share? Thank you in advance!
If your husband is unavailable on the day of, we can offer the service in advance to prevent your eggs from being frozen. No need to wait!
Is it possible to fertilize eggs later on? Unfortunately, freezing eggs can lead to a decreased embryo count and lower chances of a live birth. On the other hand, studies have shown that using frozen sperm for fertilization right after extraction can yield similar results to using fresh sperm. However, the cost of freezing sperm is around $1,000, while freezing eggs incurs additional expenses such as storage and thawing fees. It often requires assisted hatching due to changes in the eggs from freezing. If you have to choose between freezing sperm or eggs, opt for freezing sperm in advance. Your doctor should provide you with more information and guidance regarding these options and their potential consequences. Trust us only to a certain extent, as our information may be outdated or not applicable to your location.
The clinic mandates that the male partner gives a sample to the embryology lab before the egg retrieval, which is then frozen as a backup in case a fresh sample cannot be provided on the day of the procedure.
My husband gave a frozen sample in advance. The results were excellent, so freshness is not needed.
Just a reminder to always keep a frozen backup on hand!
I am unsure about the use of fresh sperm, but often clinics opt for frozen sperm for a variety of reasons.
Using frozen sperm was not an issue for us. If you’re worried, they should allow you to freeze it. Additionally, you can also consider using fresh sperm if it’s available on the day of retrieval.
I strongly advise that your husband provides a sample for freezing before the clinic procedure. If he doesn’t provide one beforehand or on the day, you may have to freeze eggs instead of embryos. Eggs are less resilient than embryos and may not all survive the freezing process.
You must either produce sperm on the day of the procedure or freeze it beforehand, ideally before the egg retrieval, or at the very latest, within 1-2 hours after.
My partner had to produce sperm the day before the first ER for TESA, likely to allow time for washing and centrifuging. The remaining sperm was frozen and used for our second ER, with fertilization rates being equally successful from frozen as from fresh samples. Both procedures utilized ICSI.
My husband had to provide a fresh sample, but you can also freeze some in advance. If not done on the same day, you would be freezing eggs and not embryos.
If necessary, they have the option to freeze it in advance.
It all depends on whether my husband needed to be present during the retrieval process in order to provide sperm.
It can also be given ahead of time.