Preserve your fertility:
Sperm cryopreservation
Sperm cryopreservation is the process of collecting, analyzing, freezing, and storing sperm for future use โ one of the most reliable steps available for protecting your reproductive potential. Cryomate offers secure, confidential sperm banking at our state-of-the-art andrology labs, designed for individuals who want to safeguard their path to parenthood.
Life doesn’t always move on a predictable timeline. Preparing for a medical treatment, planning a vasectomy, beginning a gender transition, or simply not being ready to start a family yet โ sperm freezing and long-term storage ensures your options remain open when the time is right. As a dedicated sperm bank founded by fertility experts, we combine cutting-edge cryopreservation technology with specialized expertise to ensure your sample is stored safely, reliably, and with the care it deserves.
Who should consider freezing
their sperm?
There’s no single profile of someone who benefits from sperm banking. Every journey is individual โ and the reasons people choose to preserve their fertility are as varied.
Before cancer treatment
Chemotherapy, radiation, and certain surgeries can permanently reduce sperm count and motility. Banking sperm before treatment begins is a well-established step for preserving the possibility of biological children, whatever the road ahead holds. Oncologists routinely recommend it โ ideally before a single treatment cycle begins.
Before a vasectomy
A vasectomy is highly effective, but circumstances change. Banking sperm beforehand preserves future options without the uncertainty of reversal surgery.
Before gender-affirming care
For transgender women and non-binary individuals beginning hormone therapy or planning gender-affirming surgery, sperm banking is an important step in preserving future family-building options. Cryomate is a fully inclusive, affirming facility โ every client is welcomed and supported on their own terms, with complete discretion.
As sperm quality changes with age
Sperm quality โ including count, motility, and DNA integrity โ declines gradually over time. Many clients in their 30s choose to bank sperm proactively, preserving the quality they have now while family planning remains open-ended.
For high-risk occupations or environments
Military service, certain careers, and exposure to radiation, chemicals, or physical trauma all carry reproductive risk that’s difficult to fully anticipate. Banking sperm provides a reliable backup that’s there if it’s ever needed.
For known fertility concerns
A semen analysis that shows low count, poor motility, or abnormal morphology isn’t a closed door โ it’s information. Banking multiple samples now gives you more to work with in future treatment cycles.
For personal life planning
Sometimes the reason is simply this: you know you want children someday, but not yet. Freezing sperm is reproductive autonomy โ the ability to make that decision on your own timeline, not biology’s.
What to expect – the cryopreservation process
The process is designed to be private, efficient, and clear at every step.
Schedule your visit
Reach out to our lab team at lab@cryomate.com or by calling the location nearest to you. Our team will walk you through each step before your appointment, answer any questions you have, and help you know exactly what to expect. Flexible scheduling is available, and every question is welcome before you arrive.
Prepare
Plan to abstain from ejaculation for two to five days before your appointment. This window supports an optimal sample volume and sperm concentration. Avoiding alcohol and heat exposure โ hot tubs, saunas โ in the days leading up to your visit is also helpful, as both can temporarily affect sperm quality.
Semen analysis
On the day of your visit, you’ll provide a sample in a private collection room at our facility. Our andrology team evaluates it immediately โ assessing count, motility, and morphology. This analysis is fully included in your $560 package, with no separate fee. Results will be sent directly to your referring physician’s office within 5 business days.
Processing & freezing
Based on your analysis, our laboratory determines how many vials to prepare from your sample. Each vial is designated for a future treatment cycle โ IUI, IVF, or ICSI. A cryoprotectant solution is added to protect the cells during the freeze, reducing ice crystal formation that would otherwise damage cell membranes. Your sample is then processed using a controlled-rate freezing protocol and transferred to long-term cryogenic storage at -196ยฐC.
Secure storage
Your vials are stored in Cryomate’s continuously monitored cryogenic facility for the first year, included in your $560. You’ll receive full documentation of how many vials were prepared and the parameters recorded. Storage beyond the first year is available.
Understanding the freeze-thaw process
Freezing reduces sperm motility โ Depending on the initial sample quality and the protocol
used, motility typically decreases by 20โ50% through the freeze-thaw process. This is precisely
why the semen analysis before freezing matters: it establishes a baseline and guides how many
vials to prepare, accounting for post-thaw characteristics.
Sperm that survive the process are fully viable for fertilization. The variables that matter most
are the quality of the original sample, the cryoprotectant protocol, and the controlled-rate
freezing process โ all of which are managed by our CAP-accredited andrology team at every
step. Freezing does not alter the genetic material of the sperm cells.
Properly stored at -196ยฐC, frozen sperm can remain viable indefinitely. Studies have
documented successful pregnancies using samples stored for more than 25 years.
CRYOPRESERVATION COST
$560
What’s included:
Laboratory Assessment (including an initial semen analysis for quality evaluation)
Sperm freezing
First year storage
Subsequent years will incur the following annual storage fees:
1 additional year
$300
2 additional year
$540
3 additional year
$780
4 additional year
$1,000
5 additional year
$1,250
10 additional year
$1,800
Storage for Donors
2 years free
Freeze your sperm for personal use and enjoy two years of complimentary storage! Available upon completion of the donation program.
Sending your stored sperm to your fertility clinic
When youโre ready to use your stored sperm for treatment, Cryomate coordinates the shipment directly to your chosen clinic. We partner with UPS Healthcare โ a leader in temperature-controlled reproductive material logistics โ to ensure your vials are maintained at the required temperatures throughout transit.
Contact your local lab at least two weeks before your treatment date to arrange dispatch. Shipping costs vary by destination. If you prefer to use an alternative courier, let our team know in advance.
Our andrology labs
320 North Meridian Street, Suite 606
463.333.3530 ext. 3 | lab@cryomate.com
1105 16th St Suite C
463.333.3530 ext. 4 | TNdonor@cryomate.com
The team behind your sample
Cryomate’s andrology lab is directed by Dr. Sheela Ali, PhD, HCLD, CC, TS(ABB) โ an internationally recognized reproductive scientist, embryologist, and laboratory director with more than 18 years of experience in assisted reproductive technologies, andrology, reproductive tissue banking, and laboratory operations. Day-to-day laboratory operations are led by Larissa Volz, MS, whose graduate research focused specifically on how sperm interact with the female reproductive tract.
Cryomate holds CAP accreditation, FDA registration, and CLIA certification โ among the most rigorous laboratory standards in the US. Every sample is handled with the care and scientific precision of a team dedicated entirely to reproductive biology and andrology.
Frequently asked questions
Your visit includes a full semen analysis, followed by processing and freezing of your sample into individual vials, each designated for a future treatment cycle. Your sample is stored securely for the first year at no additional charge. Storage beyond the first year is available at the annual rates listed above.
Properly stored sperm can remain viable indefinitely. Studies have documented successful pregnancies using sperm stored for more than 25 years. Consistent storage at -196ยฐC in continuously monitored cryogenic tanks โ Cryomate’s standard practice โ is what maintains that viability over time.
Freezing reduces sperm motility โ typically by 20โ50% depending on the initial sample quality and protocol used. It does not affect the genetic integrity of the cells. Cryoprotectants and controlled-rate freezing minimize motility loss, and sperm that survive the process are fully viable for fertilization.
Anyone who wants to preserve their reproductive options. This includes individuals facing cancer treatment, vasectomy, gender-affirming care, age-related changes in sperm quality, high-risk occupations, or diagnosed fertility concerns โ as well as anyone who simply wants the security of knowing their options are protected. There is no wrong reason to start the conversation.
The right number depends on your fertility goals, current sperm parameters, and the treatment you’re anticipating. IUI generally requires more vials per attempt than IVF or ICSI. If multiple children or future medical treatments are part of your picture, banking additional samples now gives you more to work with. Our team will walk through your specific situation during your visit.
Yes. When performed in an accredited laboratory, sperm cryopreservation is a medically established, safe process that does not alter the genetic material of sperm cells. Decades of clinical data confirm that pregnancies achieved with cryopreserved sperm carry no increased risk of complications for the child.
Coverage varies by plan and provider. Medically indicated banking โ particularly before cancer treatment or other fertility-affecting procedures โ is among the more commonly covered scenarios. It’s worth checking with your insurance provider before your visit. Fertility financing options are also available through CapexMD, Future Family, and PatientFi.
Yes. Cryomate offers both on-site and off-site collection options. For at-home collection, you will need to pick up a collection kit from our office several days before your appointment. Once collected, the sample must be returned to our laboratory within one hour to ensure optimal handling and processing.
Contact our lab team at your nearest location’s contact details above.
Protecting your fertility today keeps your options open for the future
Cryomate is a CAP-accredited, FDA-registered, CLIA-certified sperm bank with andrology labs in Indianapolis, Indiana and Nashville, Tennessee.