Cryo/Sperm Banking in Charlottesville, Virginia (VA)

A facility that collects and stores a man’s sperm so that it can later be used by a woman to achieve pregnancy is called a sperm bank or cryobank. The sperm that is donated is introduced into a woman’s uterus or cervix in a process called artificial insemination (AI), a form of third-party reproduction.

While sperm donation may sound like a simple and easy process, it is not as simplistic—the process involves several stages and the entire process can take several months. Aside from filling out an application, the donor must undergo an interview to discuss his medical history, family medical history, lifestyle and dietary habits. He must also have a psychological evaluation and a medical screening before he can officially give his sperm. And when this does occur, the man is placed in a private room and may be given reading or visual materials to arouse him. The semen is then collected in a sterile cup and deposited at the bank. The bank will hold it in quarantine for multiple months for the fact that HIV may not show up on tests during the initial six months after it is contracted. Should the semen pass the second HIV test, it will be put to use.