Your guide to sperm vial management

Once you’ve chosen a donor, you’ll need to make a few important decisions. That includes how many vials to purchase, how soon you’ll use them, and where you want them sent. Regardless of your choices, we’re here to help you easily and accurately manage it all.

Donor sperm ownership

Discover what you need to know before you purchase vials from your selected sperm donor.

Making your donor’s vials yours

The only way to ensure access to a donor’s vials is to purchase them. Once you do, you become the owner of those vials, even before they’re shipped, and even if they remain stored with us. It’s important to purchase the vials under the name of the individual being inseminated (except if using a gestational carrier). That’s because only the official owner will be able to use the sperm for insemination and make decisions about vial management (including vial exchange, buyback, or transfer of ownership to your partner) as you move forward with the insemination process.

Purchasing the right amount

How many vials does it take to get pregnant? That depends on a number of factors. Most importantly, you should consider which insemination method you’re using. A procedure using an ICSI vial at your clinic will require a different amount than one using an ICI vial at home. However, we can say that (while it’s certainly possible to be successful on your first try), on average, it takes families four insemination cycles to create a successful pregnancy. This is true even for those using multiple inseminations during a single ovulation cycle. And some physicians may require more than one vial for each insemination. So, our best advice is to first discuss these essential details with your healthcare provider. It’s also important to consider if you’d like to have additional children in the future, and to purchase the appropriate number of additional vials needed — especially if you’d like to use the same donor.

Storage — keeping your vials secure and accessible

Because it’s unlikely your (or your gestational carrier’s) ovulation cycle will automatically align with your purchase, you’ll need to store the vials you’ve purchased temporarily at least. And if you hope to use the same donor to conceive additional children in the future, you’ll need to keep the additional vials you’ve purchased safely stored until you’re ready to use them.

Short- and long-term storage

Extend your storage as needed

You’ll be notified 30 days before your storage is up for renewal. At that time, you can visit the storage manager area of your dashboard and choose to continue your storage for the same amount of time or adjust the period for which you would like it stored. Otherwise, your storage will be automatically renewed for 6 months.

Short- and long-term storage

Extend your storage as needed

You’ll be notified 30 days before your storage is up for renewal. At that time, you can visit the storage manager area of your dashboard and choose to continue your storage for the same amount of time or adjust the period for which you would like it stored. Otherwise, your storage will be automatically renewed for 6 months.

Prior to placing your order

Secure and dependable shipping

Our sperm vials are shipped from our facility using liquid nitrogen "dry" shippers, designed to maintain the proper temperature for up to 7 days from the date of shipment. Procedures for thawing and handling specimens are included in every shipment.

What you need to know

What you need to know

California Cryobank ships to more than 40 countries worldwide via our designated carrier to ensure proper handling. Our families are responsible for any "duty and tax" fee required by the receiving country. Additionally, it’s up to the customs of the receiving country as to whether payment will be made prior to the release of the package or will be invoiced later. Please be sure to coordinate with your doctor or clinic and cooperate with customs regulations. International shipping can only be requested by phone. Please call us at 1-310-443-5244 to place your order.

Track your shipment

Prepaid tank returns

Because we can’t send out new shipments without tanks, it’s extremely important to make sure you return your tanks to California Cryobank. Tanks can be returned only by using the prepaid return shipment label that’s included with each delivery. We are unable to receive in-person tank returns. Any tanks that are lost, or that aren’t returned within 30 days of receiving your shipment, will result in a lost-tank fee.

What you need to know

What you need to know

California Cryobank ships to more than 40 countries worldwide via our designated carrier to ensure proper handling. Our families are responsible for any "duty and tax" fee required by the receiving country. Additionally, it’s up to the customs of the receiving country as to whether payment will be made prior to the release of the package or will be invoiced later. Please be sure to coordinate with your doctor or clinic and cooperate with customs regulations. International shipping can only be requested by phone. Please call us at 1-310-443-5244 to place your order.

Track your shipment

Prepaid tank returns

Because we can’t send out new shipments without tanks, it’s extremely important to make sure you return your tanks to California Cryobank. Tanks can be returned only by using the prepaid return shipment label that’s included with each delivery. We are unable to receive in-person tank returns. Any tanks that are lost, or that aren’t returned within 30 days of receiving your shipment, will result in a lost-tank fee.

Flexibility to meet your changing needs

The path to parenthood is rarely without a few twists, turns, and false starts. We want to help you more easily navigate each one by offering you flexible vial management options that zig with every zag.

Vial buyback option

Thanks to our vial buyback option, you can purchase multiple vials of your favorite donor and rest a little easier knowing any unused, unshipped vials can be sold back for 50% of their original price.
Once vials are shipped from our storage facility, they are no longer eligible for the California Cryobank vial buyback option. Any unused vials may be returned to California Cryobank in the shipping tank and placed back in your personal storage account for later use. Please note that California Cryobank does not guarantee the quality of any vial that has been returned to our facility. Be sure to return any unused vials immediately using the 2-day shipping option. Any delay in the return shipment could result in compromising the safety and viability of the vials.

Vial exchange program

Sometimes, our families decide to purchase the vials of a new donor, while having vials from an original donor in storage. Usually this happens when a new, preferable donor is added to the portfolio, or the availability of their original donor is in short supply due to popularity or retirement. For those reasons, we want to offer you the flexibility of the vial exchange program to help you feel 100% confident about your selection.
An administrative fee of $150 will apply per exchange request. Please also note that you are responsible for paying the difference if the replacement vials are more expensive than the original stored vials.

Ownership transfer

Understanding that circumstances can change, you’re allowed to transfer ownership of your vials. Perhaps you’d like that to occur within your immediate family, such as when one partner is the initial donor recipient and then another partner uses the vials for trying to conceive a sibling. You may also transfer your vials to someone outside of your family. Please note, you’ll need to complete the appropriate forms, and in some cases, you’ll be charged a fee to complete the transfer process.

Still have questions?

Each moment in this process matters. We’re here to walk you through it all — from the biggest “what ifs'' to the smallest “but hows.”

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Discover more resources

Check out our valuable resources to help you learn more about using donor sperm for your family building.

Compare up to four donors

Compare up to four donors