You decided to donate your sperm, but you’re now at a loss about how to prep, pack, and ship your donation. When it comes to cryogenic shipping and shipping sperms, Cryo Courier has you covered. We prepared this little list for you as a guide.
To ship sperm, you need to prepare your specimen first. Then, you need to pack it properly and pick a sperm courier that can handle its transport. Cryo Courier offers a smooth and stress-free transportation process to help you out. Besides that, we’ll also discuss the steps you need to take when shipping sperm, including how to prep and pack your donation before shipping it.
First: Get Yourself a Donation Kit
You can find a donation kit from sites like Dadi Kit, Natal Donor, or Tender Needs Fertility. A sperm donation kit should contain a vial or more of Test Yolk Buffer (TYB), ice packs, and a Styrofoam shipping container.
The Test Yolk Buffer ensures your sperms last through the shipping process. It’s a nutrient-rich yolk taken from chicken eggs, which feeds your sperms. A similar thing occurs when sperms enter an ovulating woman’s body, so that’s what you’re trying to replicate here.
But then, note that a Test Yolk Buffer often contains a low-level antibiotic to discourage bacterial growth. You’ll need to check with your receiver if she’s allergic to Penicillin because Gentamicin is usually added to this buffer, to which some women may be allergic.
Second: Prepare Your Donation
To start, you need to thaw the Test Yolk Buffer vial’s content in lukewarm water. You can do this by getting a cup, pouring warm water in it, and placing the vial in the cup. While you’re allowing the vial’s contents to thaw, you need to collect your sperm in a clean and dry container like a glass jar or a small cup.
You’ll then pour the vial’s contents into the container with sperm and gently swirl the mixture until the sperms and yolk merge. You’ll then place the mixture back into the Test Yolk Buffer’s vial and seal it tight, but you’re not ready to ship the sperm donation just yet.
Third: Properly Pack the Sperm Vial
How you should pack the sperm varies according to the kit you chose and your sperm courier. Some couriers, like Cryo Courier, offer cryogenic shipping. They’ll ensure your kits are temperature-controlled, so you don’t need to worry about preserving your shipped sperm’s temperature when sending.
Other couriers may not support this, and if so, you may need to utilize some foam blocks as temperature controllers. To do this, create a foam ring around your vial, and add a few layers of thin foam on top and the bottom of your vial.
Note that you need to ensure your upper and bottom layers possess holes in between them to let cool air move around your sperm vial. This airflow will prevent your specimen from freezing as it’s transported. Place one ice pack above and below your vial as you put it into its container, and then tape the package shut.
Fourth: Shipping Your Sperm Donation
By this point, if you’re cooperating with a specialized courier, like those that ship sperms, eggs, embryos, and other IVF specimens or medical packages, you should have notified them and set a schedule beforehand.
You can simply head on to FedEx if you’re not, but your package needs to be wrapped in a clinical pack. A clinical pack is a plastic bag that contains plenty of warnings about the package to ensure it’s handled with utmost care.
Choosing a Cryogenic Courier and Shipping Sperm
It’s always wise to pick a specialized courier like Cryo Courier to handle your sperm donation’s transport. Cryogenic couriers possess plenty of experience in their field that ensures your priceless package reaches its destination in the best possible state. Contact us to get started.