Frequently Asked Questions

We conduct an extensive screening process, accepting only ~1% of applicants. Our screening standards are among the most stringent of any cryobank in the US, including:

• Detailed semen analysis
• Comprehensive medical and family history evaluation to identify potential hereditary conditions
• Physical examination by licensed medical professionals
• Advanced genetic testing using Exome backbone technology, screening over 1000 genes for both recessive and dominant genetic conditions
• Genetic consultation reviewing 4-generation family medical history with our board-certified genetic consultant
• Infectious disease testing for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, and other STIs
• Psychological evaluation to ensure mental and emotional stability
• Lifestyle and behavioral screening to assess habits that could impact sperm quality
• Criminal background check
• In-person interview with our staff to assess their overall suitability for the program 
• Final review and approval by Cryomate Medical Director, ensuring compliance with our standards 

All screening standards meet or exceed industry requirements to comply with FDA and CLIA regulations, ensuring the highest quality and safety for our clients.

We employ rigorous verification protocols to guarantee the accuracy and reliability of donor medical information. Key measures include:

1. Comprehensive Medical History: Donors complete detailed questionnaires with a Genetic Counselor to identify hereditary conditions or health risks.
2. Physical Examinations: Licensed medical professionals conduct thorough exams to verify health status and consistency with reported information.
3. Genetic Testing: Advanced screenings, such as Exome sequencing, detect recessive and dominant genetic conditions.
4. Infectious Disease Testing: Donors are tested for diseases like HIV, hepatitis, and STIs, with testing repeated at various stages.
5. Psychological Evaluation: Assessments ensure donors are mentally and emotionally stable for ethical donation practices.
6. Semen Analysis: Sperm quality, including motility, count, and morphology, is thoroughly evaluated.
7. Lifestyle and Behavioral Screening: Donors’ habits and behaviors are assessed for health and sperm quality impacts.
8. Background Checks: Education verification and criminal history screening are conducted.
9. In-Person Interviews: Donors meet staff for interviews to further validate their suitability and information accuracy.
10. Ongoing Monitoring: Stored samples undergo re-testing and quality control to maintain high standards.

These comprehensive measures uphold the safety, quality, and reliability of donor profiles for recipients and meet the FDA regulations.

Cryomate adheres to the FDA’s strict regulations for donor screening. This includes a comprehensive review of the donor’s medical history, social behavior, and a physical examination. Donors are tested for infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.

We are committed to regular re-screening and physical examinations according to FDA guidelines. After the initial quarantine period, donors are re-screened six months post-quarantine. We maintain ongoing communication with donors, who are required to report any changes in their medical history. This ensures we uphold the highest standards of safety and quality.

Once you create a free Cryomate account, you will have access to the following genetic information for each donor:

1. Full Genetic Panel Report: A comprehensive analysis of the donor’s genetic markers for various diseases.
2. Donor’s Pedigree: A family tree diagram that illustrates how certain traits or medical conditions are inherited, giving you a clear understanding of the donor’s genetic background and any potential hereditary conditions.
3. Genetic Testing Summary: A report compiled by our certified genetic counselor to explain the genetic testing results. 

These reports are available for you to review and discuss with your fertility doctor and genetic counselor to ensure they align with your family planning goals and genetic testing.

Yes, all donors are asked about previous donations in their initial questionnaire. If they have donated elsewhere in the U.S., they are immediately disqualified from joining Cryomate’s donation program.  

To maintain transparency, we keep all donors, including those who have reached their family limit and retired, visible on the website.

Selecting a sperm donor involves several steps. Start by creating a free account on our website, which provides you access to our extended donor profiles. You can then browse available donors and filter by various criteria such as physical characteristics, medical history, education, personal traits, and vial types available. Each donor profile includes detailed information, such as medical and genetic screening results, a list of questions answered in the donor’s own words, as well as audio interviews, and baby and adult photos. Narrow down your choices by shortlisting donors that meet your preferences. To assist you further, we offer a free 30-minute virtual consultation to discuss your options and answer any questions. Once you have gathered all necessary information, make your final selection based on your preferences and any additional insights from the consultation. Finally, place an order for the selected donor’s sperm vials through our website. If you need assistance at any point during this process, our Client Realtions team is here to help.

Our extended donor profile includes physical characteristics, medical history, education, hobbies and habits, personal and motivational information, genetic testing, an audio interview, as well as childhood and adult photos. All available to you at no cost.

An “Open ID” donor agrees to potential future contact with donor-conceived children once they turn 18. This allows the conceived-child the option to learn more about their donor and possibly establish a connection.  

In contrast, an “Anonymous” donor chooses to keep their identity confidential, with no identifying information shared with the conceived-child. Cryomate respects this choice and will not disclose donor identities unless legally required.  

However, with the increasing availability of commercial DNA testing and face recognition technology, traditional donor anonymity is becoming less practical. Recognizing this shift, Cryomate encourages donors to consider the Open ID pathway to align with these developments and provide more openness for donor-conceived families.

The Cryomate donors have had several different iterations of genetic screening tests. Initially, some of our donors underwent the Version 1.0 test, which uses Beacon carrier screening technology to analyze 370 genes, primarily focusing on recessive genetic conditions.

Early on, we introduced a more advanced Version 2.0 test, and donors completed a more comprehensive screen of >1000 genes. Version 2.0 uses advanced exome backbone technology along with secondary technologies where indicated. The majority of these genes are recessive, with ~600 dominant genes as well. The dominant conditions are known to cause neurodevelopmental, neurological, and/or conditions that cause intellectual disabilities, providing a broader insight into potential genetic risks. 

More recently, Version 3.0/4.0 came out to stay at the forefront of our donor genetic screening and to continue to tailor the screening process to an ever-evolving list of genes.

While the later versions of the donor screening tests are some of the most comprehensive donor genetic screening available worldwide, it’s important to note that no genetic test can eliminate all risks. However, this advanced screening can offer additional peace of mind for potential recipients. 

We recommend discussing these options with a genetic counselor or healthcare provider to determine which screening best suits your individual needs and circumstances.

To search for donors by genetic condition, use the advanced search filters on our website. The tool allows you to filter out conditions you don’t want your donor to be a carrier of. Please note that some donors may have been tested with different genetic panels, meaning a filtered gene may not have been assessed. As a result, a donor may still appear as a potential match even if he was not tested for that condition. For a complete list of conditions screened, please view the full gene panel PDF included on each donor profile. If you need assistance or have specific concerns, our Client Relations team is available to help guide you through the process and provide any additional information you may need. You can contact our team at info@cryomate.com or by phone: 463.333.3530

We ensure full transparency by including icons in donor profiles to provide important family information. An icon indicates if the donor has biological children of their own, while another icon displays the number of families successfully conceived through the Cryomate donation program.

If you wish to use the same donor sperm for future siblings, we recommend purchasing additional vials from the same donor and storing them in our facility. This ensures that the sperm is available when you need it in the future. Our storage services provide a safe and reliable way to preserve donor sperm for extended periods. Please contact our Client Relations team to discuss your options and plan for future use.

Our donors remain anonymous to ensure privacy for both parties. However, most of our donors agree to open ID options, meaning they can be contacted by the child once they reach the age of 18. Cryomate facilitates this connection to ensure a smooth and confidential process. Recipients using donor sperm are required not to contact donors directly through any platform and to respect donor anonymity.

We offer several types of sperm vials to suit different fertility treatments and preferences. These include IUI, ICI, ART, and ICSI. Each type of vial is carefully processed and stored to ensure optimal quality and viability.

IUI vials (Intrauterine Insemination Ready)- these vials contain “washed” sperm that has been processed through separation methods. During this washing process, the sample is filtered to remove seminal plasma, non-motile sperm, round cells, and other cellular debris. The final product contains mainly motile sperm cells suspended in a stabilizing medium that can be safely placed directly into the uterus.

IUI vials are the most versatile option- ready to use immediately after thawing for any fertility procedure without additional processing.

Key Information about IUI Vials:

• Sold in 0.4-0.5ml volumes, containing 10 million motile sperm cells.
• Applicable for all fertility procedures without additional processing.
• Ready for use.

ICI vials (Intracervical Insemination ready) – these vials contain “unwashed” sperm in its natural form, including the entire semen sample with seminal plasma and other cells. The sample has not undergone separation, preserving the natural seminal fluid and all cellular components.

ICI vials are primarily designed for at-home insemination. If needed for IUI or IVF procedures, fertility clinics can wash the sample prior to use.

Key Information about ICI Vials:

• Sold in 0.8-1.0ml volumes, containing 12 million motile sperm cells.
• Applicable for insimination treatments, including at -home. Clinics can wash an ICI sample prior to IUI or IVF if needed.

ART vials (Assisted Reproductive Technology) -these vials are lower‑volume units intended for advanced reproductive techniques such as IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Usually contain fewer total motile cells (TMC) than IUI or ICI vials. If used for insemination treatment cycles we recommend using two vials for optimizing results.

Key Information about ART vials:

• Sold in 0.8-1 ml volumes with 10 million motile sperm cells.
• Applicable mainly for IVF/ICSI treatments. The clinic is required to wash an ART sample prior to treatment.

ICSI vials (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) – these vials contain a lower motile sperm concentration and are specifically intended for ICSI procedures. They are available in both washed and unwashed formats and typically contain fewer total motile cells (TMC) than IUI or ICI vials. If used for insemination or other non-ICSI treatments, we recommend using two vials.

Key Information about ICSI vials:

• Sold in 0.8-1 ml volumes with 6-9 million motile sperm cells.
• Designed for ICSI procedures, if used for other treatments, we encourage using two vials.

Each Cryomate vial is processed to meet a specific target MOT (Motile Sperm Count). Because sperm is a biologically active sample and different laboratories use slightly different methods for assessing concentration, motility, and recovery, an acceptable variation of up to ±30% is considered normal. For example, a vial labeled as 12 MOT may yield a measured result between approximately 9–15 MOT when tested at an outside laboratory.

To determine the best vial type for your needs, consult with your fertility specialist. They can recommend the appropriate vial based on your specific fertility treatment plan and medical needs. You can also schedule a free online consultation with our team to discuss your options.

As one of our many quality control procedures, we perform a test freeze for every freeze lot (each visit) to confirm that the sperm recovery rate, or TMC post freezing and thawing process, meet our vial type standards.

Timing plays a pivotal role in your insemination journey. This procedure is exceptionally time-sensitive and should be synchronized with your natural ovulation cycle. The objective is to perform the insemination within your 12 to 24-hour “fertility window.” For the majority of women, this window typically falls between days 10 and 15 of their monthly cycle. To pinpoint your most fertile days with precision, we recommend utilizing a home ovulation monitor. Initiating this practice a month or two before your initial insemination attempt can be beneficial, as it allows you to gain a deeper understanding of your peak ovulation period.

Success rates for home insemination can vary depending on several factors such as health, fertility, BMI, age, and individual circumstances. Home insemination tends to be most successful for women without fertility issues. On average, it takes approximately five cycles for most women to achieve pregnancy. If success does not occur in the initial attempts, do not be disheartened. To enhance your chances of pregnancy, we recommend tracking your ovulation and seeking advice from your healthcare provider before commencing treatment.

By adhering to the recommendations outlined above, you increase your chances of embarking on the journey to parenthood successfully. The entire team at Cryomate Donor Bank eagerly anticipates assisting you and extends our warmest wishes as you navigate your path to pregnancy!

You can conveniently purchase sperm for home insemination directly through our website. Create an account, select your preferred donor, order in advance of your ovulation cycle, and have it delivered to your doorstep. For home insemination, we recommend ordering two ICI or IUI MOT10 straws.

ICI sperm is commonly used for home insemination, although IUI sperm can also be used. The key difference lies in whether the sperm is pre-washed or not. We encourage you to select a sperm motility (MOT) that suits your preferences. For instance, MOT5 vials contain fewer motile sperm cells and are primarily used for IVF or ICSI.

We recommend ordering two ICI or IUI MOT10 vials for home insemination. For further guidance on the quantity of sperm to purchase, please refer to our vial prices and information.

You have the flexibility to choose from all available donors in our Sperm Donor Search for home insemination.

MOT stands for ‘motility,’ indicating the number of motile (moving) sperm cells per milliliter (ml). For example, MOT10 signifies a minimum of 10 million motile sperm cells per ml. Our vials are sold in 0.8 ml units, so each Cryomate 0.8 ml MOT10 vials contains a minimum of 8 million motile sperm cells.

Before proceeding with home insemination, we always advise consulting a healthcare professional to discuss your parenthood journey, address your specific medical inquiries and to collaboratively establish a personalized care plan tailored to your needs. An excellent starting point is reaching out to your primary care physician, gynecologist or nurse practitioner. They can conduct an initial fertility assessment, similar to your routine gynecological examination, to assist you in determining if home insemination is the right choice for you. Moreover, they can offer guidance on optimizing your chances of achieving pregnancy efficiently. 

Assessing your fertility is a prudent step to ensure you are well-prepared to embark on this exhilarating chapter of your life.

When you choose to cryopreserve your sperm with us, your visit encompasses a thorough semen analysis to assess sperm quality. Based on the analysis results and sperm parameters, our laboratory will determine the appropriate number of vials to freeze, with each vial designated for future treatment. Your sperm will then undergo freezing and will be securely stored in our facility for the initial year at no charge. Should you require storage beyond the first year, subsequent yearly charges will apply. We also offer discounts for long-term storage; for further details, please reach out to our team at lab@cryomate.com or call 463.333.3430 ext#3.

This comprehensive process ensures effective preservation of your sperm, making it readily available for future use.

We strive to make the sperm-freezing process as convenient and accessible as possible for our patients. From flexible appointment scheduling to convenient location and easy access to our facility in downtown Indianapolis, we prioritize your comfort and convenience every step of the way. Please contact our team at lab@cryomate.com or give us a call at 463.333.3530 ext.3.

Cryopreservation services are valuable for individuals facing various life circumstances, including medical treatments like chemotherapy or radiation, vasectomy patients, those planning gender-affirming treatments, individuals with genetic conditions, those in high-risk occupations or hobbies, and individuals preserving fertility for personal reasons.

Frozen sperm samples can be stored indefinitely without losing their potential for fertilization, provided it is kept in optimal conditions. This long-term viability offers individuals and couples flexibility and reassurance in their family planning choices, ensuring that the option for biological parenthood remains open whenever they decide to pursue it.

Research suggests that while freezing sperm isn’t harmful on its own, it can lower sperm motility and viability. Cryopreservation can lead to losing up to 50% of sperm motility due to damage from ice crystals forming during freezing and thawing. Yet, improvements like using cryoprotectants and controlled-rate freezing, aim to reduce this damage and keep sperm quality high. Therefore, while some decrease in sperm motility may occur during freezing, when performed correctly, the process is generally considered safe and effective for preserving sperm for future use.

The number of times you should freeze your sperm and the number of vials to store depends on factors such as your fertility goals, current fertility status, quality of sperm, and success rates. If you plan to have multiple children or are undergoing medical treatments that may affect fertility, you may need to freeze multiple samples to increase your chances of success. Your healthcare provider can offer guidance tailored to your individual circumstances, ensuring that you make informed decisions about the optimal number of samples to freeze and store.

The Cryomate team is excited to help coordinate the shipment to your selected clinic. To ensure a smooth transfer, kindly provide us with all necessary clinic details beforehand. Remember to reach out to our lab at least 2 weeks prior to your treatment for arranging the secure dispatch of your stored sperm vials. We partner with UPS Healthcare, a leader in temperature-controlled logistics, to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of our clients’ reproductive materials. Shipping costs vary depending on the destination.

If you prefer to use an alternative courier for shipping your frozen samples, please notify us at lab@cryomate.com or 463.333.3530 ext#3.

At Cryomate, we take a proactive approach to ensure ethical and responsible sperm donation.  

Specifically, a donor’s participation in the program is limited to ensure the collection of fewer vials. Sales of donor vials cease once 25 families (children from the same donor living in one household) have been reported in the U.S., and international distribution stops when 15 families have been reported. After these family limits are reached, vials are only made available for sibling pregnancies.  

We also depend on clients reporting pregnancies and births, as it helps us track donor usage accurately. You can report a pregnancy or birth via the pregnancy reporting page on our website or by contacting us directly.

You can submit a pregnancy or birth report online through our dedicated Journey Update page. You can also reach out to our Client Relations Coordinator for assistance.

Donors who reach their family limit are retired from our program, and their vials are no longer available for purchase by new families. Any remaining vials are reserved exclusively for families who have previously purchased vials from that donor and have confirmed a prior birth.

The cost varies depending on the type of sperm vial selected. Prices are clearly listed on our Pricing and Shipping page. Additional costs may include shipping and storage fees.

Yes! We understand that fertility care is a significant investment, and we’re committed to making it more accessible. That’s why we’ve partnered with two trusted financing providers—CapexMD and Future Family—both specializing in fertility financing. These partnerships are designed to help ease the financial burden and support your family-building journey.

CapexMD

CapexMD offers loans tailored for all fertility treatment options with:

• Easy and secure online application 
• Personal attention and concierge service
• Highly competitive interest rates 
• Quick and easy approvals
• Family members and friends can also apply 
• Loans from $3,000 up to $50,000
• Terms from 6 to 60 months
• Highest levels of confidentiality
• No membership fees, no annual fees, and no prepayment penalties

Apply online and receive your pre-approval within 24 hours.You can learn more about CapexMD by visiting their site www.capexmd.com or by calling 1-888-497-8414.

Future Family

Future Family provides flexible financial plans with added support services:

• Fast pre-approval in as little as 90 seconds
• Affordable monthly payment plans with repayment periods from 36 to 60 months
• Low-interest loans with funding options from $5,000 to $50,000
• No prepayment penalties
• Personalized Payment Choice tool to explore options upfront
• Dedicated concierge support throughout your journe

Exclusive for Cryomate’s Clients: Gain early financial clarity with our Personalized Payment Choice tool and pre-approval process before your first consultation. This means you’ll know your financing options upfront, reducing surprises and giving you peace of mind as you navigate the cost of fertility care.

Take the next step: Start your 90 second pre-approval today and get one step closer to your family-building journey.

Cryomate accepts a variety of payment methods, including major credit cards, ACH, and wire transfers for international clients, to make your purchase as convenient as possible. For US clients seeking financing options, we have partnered with CapexMD to offer customized loan programs.

If you decide you no longer want the sperm you purchased, Cryomate offers a buyback option. Our buyback policy allows you to return the vials stored at a Cryomate location and receive a 75% refund of the vial price. This offer is valid for up to 5 years after the purchase date and applies only to purchases of 3 or more vials that are stored in a Cryomate location. Please contact our client relations coordinator to initiate the buyback process and for further assistance.

Yes, Cryomate adheres to all regulations set forth by HIPAA and the U.S. FDA. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of privacy, security, and quality in all our practices to ensure the safety and confidentiality of our clients’ information and the integrity of our services.

To learn more about Cryomate’s accreditations and licenses, please refer to our Licenses page.

The Donor-Conceived Persons Protection Act is a Colorado state law designed to increase transparency and protect the rights of donor-conceived people. Effective January 1, 2025, the law requires that all sperm donors collected on or after this date must agree to have their identity released to any resulting children once they turn 18. It also establishes strict limits on how many families a donor can help create and mandates that donors be at least 21 years old. Cryomate is fully licensed and compliant with these regulations. To view our licenses, please refer to our Licenses page.

Yes. We hold a valid license issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). We are fully compliant with the Donor-Conceived Persons Protection Act (SB22-224) and the In Vitro Fertilization Protection & Gamete Donation Requirements (HB25-1259). This ensures that all inventory we release for use in Colorado meets the state’s rigorous standards for donor identity rights and family limits.

Effective January 1, 2025, Colorado law mandates that any sperm donor whose samples are collected on or after this date must agree to be an “Identity-Release” donor. This means the donor agrees that their identifying information can be released to the donor-conceived person once they turn 18. Additionally, the law requires donors to be at least 21 years old at the time of donation. While this is a new requirement for some banks, Cryomate has always required our donors to be at least 21 years of age, exceeding standard FDA requirements even before this law was passed. We believe that donors should possess the maturity and life experience necessary to fully understand the commitment they are making.

Cryomate is committed to transparency, and over 98% of our donors are already Identity-Release (Open ID). However, you may see a very small number of “Anonymous” donors in our catalog. These are “grandfathered” vials collected before January 1, 2025, which remain Legal for purchase in Colorado. We maintain this limited inventory primarily to support families who may need these specific donors for sibling matching.

Yes. In compliance with Colorado statutes, we provide access to state-approved information regarding the emotional and social aspects of donor conception. We strongly encourage all recipients to review the (https://cdphe.colorado.gov/gamete-bank/educational-materials) provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment before finalizing their selection. This guide covers important topics such as the benefits of early disclosure to children and navigating donor sibling relationships.

To minimize the risk of accidental consanguinity (blood relation) and to limit the size of donor sibling groups, Colorado law restricts a single donor to establishing no more than 25 families worldwide. We utilize a sophisticated tracking system to strictly adhere to this limit. It is critical that recipients report their pregnancies and live births to us to help us keep donor family sizes within these ethical and legal bounds.

We maintain permanent records of our donors’ medical histories. In accordance with HB25-1259, we make good faith efforts to maintain contact with donors to gather significant medical updates. If a donor reports a significant change in their medical status, we update their profile and make this non-identifying medical history available to you, ensuring your family has access to the most current health data available.