thawing frozen sperm?

GrnSheen · #1 (**permalink**) 07-18-2007, 07:25 PM

Has anyone used a donor??? Does anyone know the correct way to thaw the specimen???

S&S · #2 (**permalink**) 07-19-2007, 04:00 AM

sheen- I am using a donor in a clinic that is in another state so they ship it to my DR. frozen then right before the insemination they thaw it out on the counter for about 20 min. he would then put a small drop under the micro scope so we could see if there was mobility, and they were always going nuts.

Care75 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-19-2007, 11:16 AM

Hi Sheena- Are you using this yourself at home or will your doctor be doing this?

If you're doing it at home, we just would set the specimen out about 20-30 minutes before we would use it. Sometimes we would hold it in our hands a bit before injecting it into the syringe.

If you're doing it at the doctors, they should have experience with this. I think they take it out about 20 minutes before (I always had to get there 20 minutes early because they wouldn't thaw until I got there). The lab would get it ready, check for motility, etc. and bring it to the RE who always put in his pocket for a few minutes while he was opening my cervix, etc.

GrnSheen · #4 (**permalink**) 07-19-2007, 11:40 AM

We did it at our doctors office... but here is what happend....

We arrived at 8am on sunday morning, walked in and Im pretty sure the sperm had been sitting out.... she put it between her hands for a few minutes and then did the insemination.... I am pretty sure that the dr. arrived when we did because we all walked in together and she actually apologized for being a bit late.... I cant prove that the sperm had been sitting out over night or anything like that but I think it might have been... she commented saying that the sperm wasnt great or awful... she did the insemination before we looked at it under the microscope... and after i laid on the table for 20 minutes we got to look at it under the scope... i only saw 2 moving sperm.... I called in to tell the nurse that we are going to go with a different donor yesterday and she looked in my file and said, 'oh yeah, the specimen wasnt even a 10' what the heck does that mean??? did we get dud sperm?? How should we handle this???

Care75 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-19-2007, 11:58 AM

Yeah, that doesn't sound right! If you all walked in together, then it probably didn't have enough time to thaw. Unless, there's a lab there and someone in the lab got it ready because they were there before you. Like I said though, my RE's office always waited for you to get there to thaw just in case you got caught in traffic or whatever.

I definitely don't think that it can be out overnight. I'm not sure I understand the numbers- maybe 10 means 10 million (which I don't think is great) or it might mean 10% motility (which again wouldn't be great).

I guess I'd handle it by saying "What happened?". Ask if the donor's specimens are always like that. Was there an error? If you are paying cash and it's their fault, I think they shouldn't charge you, KWIM? You are the patient so you have every right to ask questions and to understand the process and procedures. You can also ask, "so I was wondering how long does the sperm take to thaw?" and fish with that kind of question.

Of course, you never know. Your "dud sperm" may be the one that works! I hope so!

WannaBMom74 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-19-2007, 01:25 PM

I had a similar thing happen to me for my first IUI the dr came in and told me she only saw a few moving and it looked like the sample was bad however she had her nurse thaw it so she did not know if it was their fault or the cryobanks sample so she said she would do the iui for free normally it cost 250 she also filled out paper work that came with the sample saying it was below what the cryobank guarentees so they also gave me a refund for the sample.

MaxMom · #7 (**permalink**) 07-24-2007, 07:56 AM

Hi Sheena,

We've done inseminations at home and at the doctor's. This morning, my third IUI at the clinic, we arrived 30 minutes before our appointment, and that is when they begin the thawing process. Sperm won't live for more than a few hours once thawed (if not used), so having it sit out is no good.

Our first IUI vial had a count of 12 million, the next 9 million, and this morning's was only 6.5 million -- apparently, this is still more than plenty to conceive.

I agree that the way you describe the handling of your IUI and the sample was a bit "sketchy." I definitely agree you should fish (or ask directly) for a better understanding of their protocol with respect to thawing, etc.

But, as some other folks have said, you never know which will work - even with presumably "dud" sperm. Best of luck to you!

Max

A Squared · #8 (**permalink**) 07-24-2007, 08:46 AM

At our clinic, someone in the lab thaws the sperm, looks at the count, the mobility, motility, etc and then gives it a 1-10 rating for quality (10 being good). I never saw them thaw it and I never saw the sperm under the microscope. All that was handled in the lab. The sperm was always just sitting on the counter in the office where I had the IUI performed. I do think it would be a good idea to ask the office who thaws the sperm and how they do it and what the numbers mean. This might give you some peace of mind about their end of it. However, I would also give the cryobank hell if the sampe was bad. I would get the numbers from the RE's office though, so I could give specific information about how poor the sample was when I spoke to the cryobank. Good luck!

2moms2be · #9 (**permalink**) 07-25-2007, 06:18 AM

Definately question them on this! It sounds weird to me. My experiences were exactly like A's except they would just tell me the #s they did not do the rating thing. It does only take one so I am hoping that you had at least on really hy strong swimmer in the group.

and

to you.