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Who Are Our Donors?

Donors are between the ages of 18 and 35 years. All donors either have been or are currently in college. The level of formal education spans the Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees, and a number of the donors are currently enrolled in graduate programs. 

All three races are represented on our donor list with the majority of our donors being Caucasian. Genetic diseases are screened for on all Level 2 and Level 3 donors, and on Level 1 donors where warranted, and include Tay-Sachs, Sickle Cell, and Cystic Fibrosis. Chromosomal analysis is available upon physician request, and is now done on all of our Level 3 donors. 

CryoGam donor sperm specimens typically average a post-thaw motility of 56% with a range of 30-85%. The average number of motile sperm per specimen is 26 million, with a range of approximately 15-80 million. 

Seventy nine percent of all CryoGam donors who have been actively utilized for more than 6 months have documented pregnancies. Representative pregnancy rates for CryoGam donors have been calculated from data obtained from physicians and patients all over the United States and some internationally. The pregnancy outcome data is returned to us via pregnancy report forms. The pregnancy rate is determined from these reported pregnancies.

The data suggest that the specimen quality and conception rates for those women taking advantage of frozen sperm from CryoGam Colorado are at least equal to or exceed the values calculated for fecundity potential in the unassisted population. We attribute this quality to our uncompromising control of all aspects of the sperm banking process, including strict selection criteria for donors and rigorous sample preparation. 

Donor Screening

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Sperm donors offered by CryoGam are selected according to a variety of strict criteria. Nearly 98% of donors who apply for the program are denied. Our rigorous selection process provides our patients with excellent donor sperm. The selection process includes:

 

  • Three generation medical and genetic history

  • Personal interview

  • Genetic review analysis of donor's health history completed through Genassist Inc.

  • Physical examination completed by our board certified medical director

  • Laboratory screening and testing completed through an FDA certified laboratory
     

Once a donor has been selected for the program, all frozen sperm samples are subject to a 180-day or more quarantine period prior to release. The donor must pass repeat screening and testing before CryoGam will release the samples for sale. This screening process helps to ensure sperm quality and to minimize the potential for transmitting infectious agents.

Donors complete the following testing prior to release of their sperm specimens:

 

Initial Testing:

  • Complete semen analysis

  • Blood Type and RH

  • ALT

  • HIV-1 and HIV-2

  • HIV-1 (NAT)

  • HTLV-I and HTLV-II

  • Syphilis

  • Nisseria gonorrhea

  • Chlamydia tracomatis

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Total (Reflexive IgG and IgM if necessary) - click here for CMV info

  • Hepatitis B core antibody

  • Hepatitis B surface antigen

  • Hepatitis B (NAT) - This is currently not a FDA testing requirement; however, as of 1-12-12 it is part of the NAT testing kit used for donor testing.

  • Hepatitis C antibody

  • Hepatitis C (NAT)

  • West Nile Virus (NAT) - Once between June 1st and October 31st (Beginning June 1st, 2017).

 

Repeat Testing Every Six-Months:

  • HIV-1 and HIV-2

  • HIV-1 (NAT)

  • HTLV-I and HTLV-II

  • Syphilis

  • Nisseria gonorrhea

  • Chlamydia tracomatis

  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Total (reflexive IgG and IgM if necessary) - click here for CMV info

  • Hepatitis B core antibody

  • Hepatitis B surface antigen

  • Hepatitis B (NAT) - this is currently not a FDA testing requirement; however, as of 1-12-12 it is part of the NAT testing kit used for donor testing.

  • Hepatitis C antibody

  • Hepatitis C (NAT)

  • West Nile Virus (NAT) - If the collections fall within June 1st and October 31st (Beginning June 1st, 2017).

 

Genetic Testing: To reduce the likelihood of transmission of a genetic condition, CryoGam completes a thorough evaluation of the donor's medical history prior to accepting him into the donor program. Certain ethnic origins may increase the likelihood of a donor being a carrier for some genetic conditions. These donors are tested for the following genetic conditions and denied from the program if they are identified as a carrier:

 

Donors of Hispanic or Mexican ancestry:

  • San Luis Valley Syndrome (Karyotype test)

Donors of African American ancestry:

  • Sickle Cell (hemoglobin evaluation)

Donors of Jewish, French Canadian, or Cajun ancestry:

  • Tay Sachs disease (biochemical assay)

Donors of Greek, Italian, African, or Asian ancestry:

  • Thalassemia (hemoglobin evaluation)

 

**Starting January 2012, new donors and donors currently active in the program will be tested for additional autosomal recessive genetic diseases, including Cystic Fibrosis. These donors are considered Level 2 donors.**

 

New donors and donors currently active in the program will undergo targeted DNA mutation analysis to determine their carrier status for the following genetic diseases:

 

Standard Genetic Testing Panel *(Please see the donor's short profile for specific mutations tested for)*

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  • Bloom Syndrome

  • Canavan Disease

  • Cystic Fibrosis

  • Familial Dysautonomia

  • Fanconi Anemia Type C

  • Gaucher Disease

  • Hb Beta Chain-Related Hemoglobinopathy (Including Beta Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Disease)

  • Hexosaminidase A Deficiency (Including Tay-Sachs Disease)

  • Mucolipidosis IV

  • Niemann-Pick Disease, SMPD1-Associated

  • Spinal Muscular Atrophy

 

**Starting January 2018, new donors and donors currently active in the program will also have chromosome analysis testing performed in addition to the genetic screening. These donors are considered  Level 3 donors.**

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** Starting September 2023, new donors and donors currently active in the program will also have Expanded Genetic Testing performed in addition to the previous genetic screening and chromosome analysis. These donors are considered Level 4 donors, and require Genetic Notification Authorization prior to purchase.**

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Donors with standard genetic testing (Level 2 and Level 3 donors) are indicated on the donor's Short Profile as being tested.
Any donor identified as a genetic carrier will be rejected as a donor for conditions tested within the standard genetic testing panel.

*Please keep in mind that results of genetic screening are intended to be risk reducing, not risk eliminating. Genetic screening does not guarantee that offspring will be healthy or disease free.

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Have you set up your account with us yet? Click here for the necessary paperwork we will need prior to you placing an order.

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