What is a Cryobank?

What is a cryobank and how does it function? The term “cryobank” refers broadly to any facility that collects and preserves human tissue. These can include embryos, blood, sperm cells, and eggs. In most cases, cryobanks are associated with storing frozen eggs or sperm cells from appropriate donors.

These cells can further be used for in-vitro fertilization.

How does a cryobank work?

Simply put, cell samples are collected, processed, and put into vials for further freezing by a cryobank. Thereafter, vials are kept in liquid nitrogen containers at extremely low temperatures in special units capable of supporting temperature stability. Extreme temperatures stop the metabolism inside the cells. While they remain frozen, they don’t deteriorate and are resistant to exterior pathogens.

What is a Cryobank?

As a result, sperm or eggs can be stored forever in this condition and still function correctly after being thawed. Also, frozen samples don’t put couples attempting to conceive in any greater danger.

Also, the storage procedure at a cryobank involves thorough testing of every sample regularly to guarantee quality so that your samples are prepared when you decide on starting a family through IVF or other assisted reproduction technologies.

What can be stored in a cryobank?

Tissue freezing is the primary purpose and process of cryopreservation.

What is a Cryobank?

A cryobank is a place where cells are gathered, kept, and frozen. Different cryobanks can store specific cells or tissues for various purposes ‒ scientific research, for example, or, in the case of assisted reproduction technologies, for IVF and further embryo implantation.

For the latter purpose, cryobanks can store sperm cells, eggs, or even embryos. The “quality” of the tissues remains stable as every container is monitored 24/7.

Who can utilize cryobank services?

There are various reasons to freeze and keep sperm, eggs, or embryos in a cryobank for upcoming personal use. They include the following:

  • an upcoming military deployment;
  • you want to postpone starting a family until the time is right;
  • you need to undergo medical treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, salpingectomy, or prostate surgery;
  • you are considering or performing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and need regular access to stored tissues with your genetic material.

Also, certain cryobanks store other tissues and cells for scientific purposes ‒ research, laboratory testing, etc.

Why choose cryobank?

Opting for cryobank services of eggs, sperm cells, and embryos can benefit couples who want to save their chance to conceive a healthy child as they delay the pregnancy for specific reasons.

What is a Cryobank?

As men grow older, the number of healthy sperm cells that can potentially fertilize an egg declines. Saving them for future use has excellent potential as people in first-world and developing countries have a rising tendency to start their families later ‒ in their 30s or even in their 40s.

Women’s bodies work differently, though. A certain amount of eggs is already “planned” even before the woman is born. As their lives go by, almost every ovulatory cycle matures the oocyte. The menstruation cycle begins if the formed egg is not fertilized at ovulation. With this being said, women also lose fertility capacities as they age. Freezing eggs can help a woman get pregnant when she is ready and not when the “fertility opportunity” is at its peak.

Now you know what cryobanks are and what they are used for. There is a great way to save your biomaterial and use it when you need it.