Comprehensive Guide to Frozen Sperm Vials
IUI VIAL (Washed for intrauterine or home insemination)
This vial type is commonly chosen by patients planning on utilizing intrauterine insemination fertility treatments also known as IUI or at home inseminations.
Your ejaculate is purified, concentrated and cryopreserved using a washing technique involving centrifugation. In general, at least 30 million motile sperm are needed to make one IUI vial. If you have below 30 million motile sperm in your initial sample (what our lab receives from you), IUI vials may not be right for you. We will notify you of your initial motile sperm count prior to freezing your sample for IUI.
IUI vials are very versatile. Due to their washed nature, they are considered universal vials. This means that they can be used for an IUI, at home insemination, or even IVF!
IUI procedures are 18-30% effective in patients with inseminating values of >10 million motile sperm (a starting motile sperm count of at least 30 million will potentially allow for a final vial that contains approximately 10 million motile sperm, due to the inherent sperm loss that occurs in the cryopreservation process).
What is an intrauterine insemination?
An intrauterine insemination or IUI is a reproductive technique to facilitate pregnancy by directly introducing sperm into the patient's uterus. The primary goal of IUI is to increase the chances of fertilization and conception.
IUI involves the collection and preparation of sperm from a male partner or a sperm donor. The prepared sperm is then directly introduced into the woman's uterus at the most fertile point in her menstrual cycle. This method is often recommended for couples facing fertility issues, such as low sperm count, sperm motility problems, timing obstacles or unexplained infertility.
Washed and concentrated sperm (either from a fresh semen sample or frozen sperm vial) is carefully placed directly into the woman's uterus using a thin catheter, bypassing the cervix. This procedure is timed to coincide with the woman's ovulation, increasing the chances of sperm reaching and fertilizing the egg.
IUI is a relatively simple and less invasive fertility treatment compared to other assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). It can be an effective option for some couples with specific fertility challenges or for patients using donor sperm. However, the success rates can vary depending on the underlying cause of infertility and other individual factors. Before considering IUI, it is important for prospective patients to be evaluated by a provider who specializes in fertility care to determine if IUI might be a good option.
To connect with a provider in Southern California offering IUI fertility treatments, click here!
IVF Vial (For in vitro fertilization)
This type of vial is used exclusively for in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is a type of advanced reproductive treatment done at a specialty center that uses oocytes (eggs) and sperm to create embryos outside of the body to later be implanted.
These vials are typically frozen with lower motile sperm concentrations, allowing many vials to be created from one semen sample. There is no minimum number of motile sperm required to freeze IVF vials, however the presence of motile sperm is preferred.
IVF is considered the most effective fertility treatment with success rates of 50-100%. Having frozen IVF sperm vials is always recommended, even if IVF is not the primary fertility treatment preference, due to its high success rates.
If you are interested in learning more about IVF procedures, please contact an IVF center near you. If you would like a recommendation for one of the many quality IVF centers we work with, please call our office at (619) 265-0102.