Department of Reproductive Medicine

Andrology LaboratoriesTel: 0161 276 6473

Oxford RoadFax: 0161 276 6609

Manchester

M13 9WL

Sperm Banking Pathway

  • Patients referred for sperm banking must be medically fit enough to undertake masturbation for sperm collection.
  • Patients should be referred directly to Andrology for sperm banking before facing imminent sterile inducing treatments (e.g. chemotherapy/radiotherapy).
  • Negative screening results (within the preceding 3 months) for HIV 1& 2, HTLV 1 and 2, Hepatitis B surface antigen and core antibody, and Hepatitis C antibody must be received by Andrology before a referral for sperm banking is undertaken.
  • A signature from a registered medical practitioner, stating that the diagnosis of the patient may cause prematureinfertility, is required by Andrology before sperm banking can be undertaken.

Patients under 16 years of age

Patients referred for sperm banking must be pubertal and competent to complete the legal HFEA consent forms. The referring clinician is required to certify that the patient understands, before attending Andrology, that he will be required to produce a semen sample by masturbation. The referring clinician is required to certify that the patient is Gillick competent.

Hospital Inpatients who are well enough to attend Andrology

  • Only morning appointments are available to these patients.
  • They must be accompanied by a registered nurse who stays in the Andrology department with the patient and escorts them back to the ward at the end of the appointment.
  • They must be transferred by taxi/ambulance (transport arranged by referring centre).

Pathway for all patients

  • The referring clinician faxes the negative screening results (within the last 3 months) to Andrology (0161 276 6609)
  • The referring centre telephones the Andrology department to make a sperm banking appointment (0161 276 6473, 9-4pm, Mon-Fri). See long term sperm storage information leaflet for details required by Andrology (FRM/DRM/AND/028).
  • Andrology will fax over the form for the registered medical practitioner to sign.
  • The referring centre informs the patient of the appointment given by Andrology.
  • (Sperm banking information for the patient can be found on the Trust website: Search for Andrology on the Trust website:
  • The patient attends Andrology and completes the legal HFEA consent forms before sperm banking is undertaken. These include what happens to their stored sperm if they were to die or become mentally incapacitated.
  • The sperm is stored and the patient informed of the quality and the number of ampoules stored.
  • Depending on when treatment starts the patient can store more samples if they wish.
  • The samples are stored for up to a maximum of 55 years.
  • The patient is told that they can telephone Andrology for a semen analysis 6 months after they have completed their treatment.
  • Patients are written to every 10 years to ascertain if they wish to continue storage of their specimens.
  • The Andrology Laboratory notifies patients 5 and then 2 years before the storage expiry limit of their specimens.

V2/31/03/20161/1FRM/DRM/AND/198

Authorised by Genette Lloyd