The PFC Cryobank is a full service sperm bank founded in May 2001. It has been providing for physician and patients an accessible, convenient and comprehensive resource for semen cryopreservation and specialized reproductive techniques.
We are proud of our record of reproductive success with cryopreserved specimens.
We constantly aim for stringest Quality & Service.

Our Services :

Freezing Donor semen storage.
The freezing & storing of human sperm for use in artifical insemination AID.

Long term Semen storage.
For men facing the possibility of sterilization, reduction in fertilizing potential or
any genetic damage due to chemotherapy, radiation therapy, high risk occupational exposures, vasectomy.
Samples of husbands who are serving in army & those who will be away, when their wives are undergoing stimulation for IVF procedures . For men who have difficulty in producing sample on demand especially those couples undergoing IVF.

An Historical perspective of Sperm Banking.

The prefix “cryo” derived from Greek word “Kyros” which means Frost or cold.
The father of Artificial insemination Spallanzani, marked up another first in reproductive biology. It is believed that he was the first to report the effects of cooling on human sperm in 1776, his observation was that sperms cooled by snow became motionless.
It wasnot until the mid 1800’s that effort to freeze sperm began.
In 1866 Montegazza was the first to envision banks for frozen human sperm. His suggestion “ a man dying on the battle field may beget a legal heir with his semen frozen & stored at home.” It took 150 years, during the Gulf war crisis in 1992. Montegazza’s vision became a reality. Service men were able, indeed many opted to freeze & store specimens for their sperm before leaving for battle. During year 1938-1945 numerous scientists made observations of sperm ability to survive freezing & storage temperature as low as minus 321 fahrenheit. But surviving is alone not accepted in ART, but being able to successfully function in the conception process is also important.
First major break through in this area came in 1949 when A S Parker & two British scientist developed a syrupy substance - k/a Glycerol to protect semen from injury during freezing in 1953. Dr. Jerome.K.Sherman an American pioneer in sperm freezing , further refined this process. He introduced a simple process of preserving human sperm using glycerol , but this was combined with slow cooling of sperm and storage using carbon dioxide as a refrigerant .
He also for the first time demonstrated that frozen sperm when thawed were able to fertilize an egg, induce its normal development . First successfull human pregnancy with frozen spermetoza was reported in 1953 . The 11th International conference of genetics in 1963 triggered interest in the possibility of sperms banks.
A decade later in early 70’s the first commercial sperm bank opened . Sperm banks in the
eighties , focused their main aim on the increasing demand for anonymous donor insemination .

Frozen sperm becomes the Gold Standard

In 1985, a dramatic event hastened the transition to predominate use of frozen sperm for DI , the identification of the deadly devastating newly recognized sexually transmitted disease AIDS.
In Feb 1988 American fertility now renamed as America Society for Reproductive medicine . The food & Drug Administration and the CDC Center for disease control recommended that only frozen semen to be used for Donor ‘insemination’ in conjunction with a minimum of 6 months quaratine period .
Thus the scientific community realized the best way to ensure semen not infected
With HIV, hepatitis & other sexually transmitted diseases is to freeze & quarantine the specimen for 6 months, after which the donor is retested for above tests. Thus reducing the possibility that the donor had the virus at the time the specimen was collected & frozen. Today, all sperm's  used for Donor Insemination are frozen and quarantined semen samples. Thus sperm Banks have a vital role in reproductive biology.
The ability to freeze to store sperms has contributed & played on integral part in the development of today’s more effective reproductive technologies.

Cryobank Donor Criteria :

We follow stringent screening process before a male semen sample is selected in our donor Programe strictly following all the international selection guideline protocols.

The process starts :
A phone call : begins the process – our donor coordinator receives the calls of potential donors. A few basic questions are asked after which they are scheduled for a personal appointment.
During the course of personal interview basic questions about their height, weight, age and educational background are noted. Donor under 18 are not accepted & the upper age limit is 45 years. Our cryobank requires donors who are students undergoing basic gradute course or graduates.
Those men are accepted who can provide a detailed medical information. Additional genetic information if available is always welcome. The Medical information includes theirs as well as their family members. Questions pertaining to specific medical condition such as cancer, diabetics any genetic disorder begin the screening process.
The application process : starts once the potential donor meets the above listed requirements. He completes the donor application form . Next he is scheduled an appointment to provide a semen sample for analysis to determine if the donor semen
meets our standards . Once this criteria is fulfilled, he takes a short personality quiz, undergoes a physical examination & various laboratory test .
The Lab tests performed during initial screening of cryobank donors includes
· ABO-Rh blood typing
· Bio-chemistry panel
· Complete Blood Count
· Semen Analysis
· Urine Analysis

Following investigation carried out during initial screening and repeated every 3 months till then specimen is quarantined for 90 days & not released until the donor has minimum 2 negative HIV screening.

1. SGPT
2. Hepatitis B surface Antigen
3. HIV antibody tests
4. RPR (for syphilis)

A potential donor must meet certain requirements in order to qualify for our donor program. The sperm count must be atleast 75 million sperm per cc, with 70% motility with 60% having normal morphology.

Our Counsellers conducts a Medical interview, in which review of the long profile completed by each donor. Information about health of a donor her siblings, his parents, his grandparents his maternal uncles & aunts, paternal uncles, aunts & his cousins. The Medical and family history is carefully evaluated for any birth defect or known genetic condition. A donor is not accepted in the donor program if there is a family history which indicates that his offspring may be at increased risk for a birth or a known genetic condition.
 

Why should one consider semen storage?

The rapid advances being made in fields of reproductive biology, urology & oncology is providing men facing with possible sterilization new options regarding the preservation of their reproductive capabilities. Hence these male patients may want to consider the option of semen storage prior to proceeding with any medical procedure that may result in the loss of fertility potential.

Semen Storage should be considered

A) Prior to Cancer related treatment :
Advances in the Cancer therapy in many types of cancer has improved the prognosis for many cancer therapy in many types of cancer has improved the But at the same time their therapies frequently render the male patients infertile. prognosis for many cancer patients. Semen cryopreservation prior to such therapies initiation offers a possibility of retaining reproductive capabilities for male patients.
B) Prior to testicular or Prostrate surgery or prostatechtomy
C) Prior to Vasectomy
D) Prior to IVF, GIFT, ZIFT procedures ensures the semen backup.
E) For High risk occupational exposures.
In recent times it is seen on the job exposure to hazardous materials can have significant health consequences includes male infertility. High risk occupational exposures include but not limited to these are environmental toxins exposure, like chemicals, herbicides, pesticides,  radiation etc.
F) Man in Military facing life threatening situations avail cryo preservation techniques.
G) Professional atheletes who are at  risk for testicular injury.
H) At times of traveling by Husbands.
Husbands schedule doesn’t permit his availability at the time of the treatment schedule the cryo preserved semen allows wife to continue, with couple's reproductive plan.
I) For Oligo spermic man.
Pooling of previously banked semen specimen in male who is diagnosed oligo spermic and using this pooled and prepared sample, for one insemination increases the chance of pregnancy.