Read More:  Donor Screening

• How are the donors screened?
  
   

  Each donor candidate meets a rigorous selection criteria and undergoes a thorough medical examination prior to acceptance. There are three steps in the evaluation process of determining a potential donors fit into the Cryos NY Donor Program. Below are details of the three steps:

  Step 1
  All donors are required to submit an online donor application. This application serves as the first means of screening donors for genetics, lifestyle, and medical history. After receiving the online donor application, Cryos NY will select those donors that meet the requirements set forth by Cryos NY.

  Step 2
  The second step involves the analysis of the potential donors specimens. During this stage, the donor will visit the Cryos NY office a minimum of three times to provide samples. Cryos NY Bioanalysts will analyze the specimens for motile sperm count, morphology, as well as how the samples react to the freezing process. If after these three visits, Cryos NY feels the specimens are below average and/or not good enough for fertility purposes, the potential donor will not be invited back. However, if the specimens are of good quality, Cryos NY will invite the potential donor onto the thrid and final step.

  Additionally, the second step allows Cryos NY management to assess the donor with regards to personality and whether he seems to be a good fit into the program.

  Step 3
  The third step consists of the physical and psychological evaluation performed by the Medical Director of Cryos NY. The Medical Director performs a full physical on the donor to determine the potential donors overall health. In addition, through a series of questions, the Medical Director is observing and assessing the pontential donors responses. The Medical Director is looking for abnormal responses, odd reactions to questions, among other psychological aspects.

  Prior to meeting with the Medical Director, the potential donor completes a detailed medical history questionnaire that includes information on his immediate family as per genetic disorders, pre-mature death, and overall health. This questionnaire serves as the foundation for the Medical Directors physical and psychological evaluation.

  If the Medical Director approves the potential donor, Cryos NY will begin the genetic disorder, communicable disease and serological testing on the potential donor. These disorders, diseases and tests are tested through the analysis of blood drawn as well as urine samples from the potential donor. If and only if the results of these tests are returned negative, the donor will be invited into the program.

  For a complete list of the tests performed on the donor, please visit our Donor Screening page.   

   

   

   

• What is a Standard?
  
   

  Given that Cryos NY ships specimens globally, it is imperative that Cryos NY meets the requirements and/or regulations of the countries to whom it ships. Cryos NY uses the term "Standard" to determine if a specimen is available for sale within the specific region. Below you will find the variouis "Standards" for its specimens:

  STANDARD	REGION
  EU	European Countries (Excluding DK & UK)
  DK	Denmark
  UK	United Kingdom
  FDA	United States
  NYS	New York State

   

   

   

   

  
  
  Any specimens marked with the above "Standards" means that the specimens from the specific donor can be sold and used for artificial insemination within the borders of the region.
  
  A Standard is according to the following regulations:

  • Vævsloven (The Danish Tissue Act)
  • HFEA Code of Practice 2007
  • The EU Tissue Directive 2004/23/EC, 2006/17/EC and 2006/86/EC
  • FDA rules - 21 CFR Part 1271, USA
  • New York State Department of Health, Part 52 

   

• How long are samples kept in quarantine?
  
   

  All Cryos NY donor semen is quarantined for 6-months. Every 3-months donors are screened for infectious diseases. If at anytime a donor tests positive for any infectious diseases, his samples will be destroyed back to the point of where he tested negative. If for any reason there is any question of whether samples should be destroyed, Cryos NY takes the conservative approach and destroys the specimens.

• What is cystic fibrosis?
  
   

  Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is one of the most common recessive genetic disorders within the Caucasian (white) population. Approximately, 3% of the population are carriers of the CF gene. Both males and females must be a carrier to yield a 25% risk of having a child with CF. Of this 25% risk, approximately 50% of the children are healthy carriers and 25% are healthy non-carriers.
  
  If only one of the parties (mother or donor) is a carrier, the child cannot develop CF.
  
  The female recipient can be examined by a blood sample. If she is negative, the child cannot develop CF.

  All Cryos NY American donors are screened for the 97 most common mutations of CF.

• Do you screen for cystic fibrosis?
  
   

  All Cryos NY American donors are screened for the 97 most common mutations of Cystic Fibrosis.

   

• Do you screen for cytomegalovirus (CMV)?
  
   

  Cryos NY American donors are screened for cytomegalovirus (CMV) every 3-months. There are two compenents to testing for CMV: 1) IgG, and 2) IgM.

  1. IgG is the dormant aspect of CMV. Once a donor has contracted CMV, throughout his life he will always test positive for IgG of CMV.
  2. IgM is the active portion of CMV. This means that the donor is shedding the virus through his system. If at anytime a donor tests positive for IgM of CMV, all the specimens dating back to the date of when he tested negative for IgM will be destroyed.
       

  According to published medical studies on CMV, the risk of transmitting CMV to the fetus is extremely low when using IUI-Ready specimens. IUI-Ready specimens are samples that are washed where natural proteins of semen are washed out. This washing process is what makes IUI-Ready samples less susceptible to transmitting CMV to a fetus.

• What is your policy for screening of sexual transmitted diseases (viruses and bacteria)?
  
   

  Please see our Donor Screening page for the various testing performed to determine communicable diseases and genetic disorders.

• What is your policy on genetic screening?
  
   

  Please visit our Donor Screening page for more information on testing for genetic disorders.

• What is a DC&QR form?
  
   

  With every order, Cryos NY provides a form entitled, Donor Characteristic & Quarantine Release Form (DCQR). The DCQR is a summary document highlighting the specific characteristics of a donor, test results, and approved ejaculates for sale under various standards.

  Please click the following link for a sample DCQR of a Cryos NY donor:  DCQR