sperm longevity

jnmt

I have read on these boards that the thawed sperm only live 24 hours, but start to lose efficacy after 12.

My RE insists that the washed sperm lives "up to" 3 days because they put it in a buffer with nutrients to feed it.

I know "thawed" and "washed" are two different things, but I'm looking for accurate information since the window of opportunity is so small anyway. How long do washed sperm live?

Also, I keep hearing about the capacitation process, which apparently takes 8 hours when sperm is fresh, so if that's true, then thawed sperm only have 4 more potential hours of viability? How does freezing/thawing/washing sperm affect its capacitation?

Thanks.

cryo-admin

Hi jnmt -

Good questions. Fresh vs. frozen does have some differences. The good news is that when you do an IUI with ultrasound (particularly with an HCG trigger), the timing is accurate enough that even the smaller "frozen window" is pretty big.

There is various research into the lifespan of frozen sperm. The general consensus is about 24-48 hours of viability. Fresh sperm does survive longer, but consider the only fresh sperm used these days is during traditional conception which is not nearly as accurate as IVF (or for very specific IVF treatments for hetero couples).

The media that sperm are suspended in does "feed them" and extend life outside the uterus. However, when the sperm is frozen and thawed, it would need to be rewashed and placed in the media again to stay alive outside the body for any length of time. This is not a process you would need, since there is no point in thawing until you are ready to inseminate.

Sperm are happiest inside the body at 98.6 degrees. When you thaw, you don't want to over heat the little guys. Heat in excess of room temperature basically kills sperm (which is why doctors tell men not to use laptops or go in hot tubs). After insemination, the sperm will continue to wake up and come to life. It is always better to thaw less and inseminate than to over-thaw.

Best of luck,

Scott
CCB

jnmt

Thanks for the information.

Does the media that sperm are in extend their life INSIDE the body, though -- that's what my RE said, but I don't know if I believe that because it conflicts with what I have seen elsewhere. So when sperm is thawed and washed by the RE it is placed in the media again, but you're saying that extends its life outside the body (which is irrelevant, as you point out).

Also, what about the capacitation process for frozen and thawed sperm?

Thanks.

cryo-admin

Hi jnmt -

Capacitation is a chemical process the sperm goes through in order to become able to fertilize the egg. Think of it like shedding a protective skin. The freezing and thawing process has no impact on the process which takes place after insemination in the reproductive tract.

:-)

Scott
CCB

jnmt

Hi Scott,

Thanks for that info, but that makes my question even more unanswered.

If freezing and thawing has no effect on the capacitation process, and the capacitation process can take 8 hours (I've seen reported elsewhere), then the window of the thawed sperm's viability is even more narrow, right?

But my main question is still:
does the media that thawed (or washed and prepped for IUI) sperm are in extend their life INSIDE the body? -- that's what my RE said, that the media "feeds" them so they live longer, but I don't know if I believe that because it conflicts with what I have seen elsewhere (on this board - that thawed sperm live for 24 hours but lose some viability after 12).

I understand that the media helps keep the sperm alive longer outside of the body, but that's irrelevant.

Thanks.

cryo-admin

Hi j -

Capacitation is really not an issue to be concerned about. It is not tied to the expected viability of the sperm. Please don't let it add any stress to the process for you.

The media does not extend the life of the sperm inside the body.

There are not a lot of recent studies on the lifespan of a sperm post-insemination. We know that less sperm survive due to the freeze and thaw than in a fresh insemination, but the "healthy" sperm that survive are fully equiped to do the job. There are estimates as long as 72 hours for frozen sperm surviving post insemination.

Try not to worry. We have hundreds of pregnancies reported per month using frozen sperm. Your physician should be able to accurately time your cycle so that you don't have to be concerned about the window of opportunity (particulalry if you are doing a medicated cycle using an HCG trigger).

Good luck,

Scott

jessabeth9

Scott, I'm not sure who you are but you should google a skill usually taught in high school called "reading for comprehension" you frustratingly did not comprehend the question being asked and were completely unable to answer it. When somebody asks a question they would like an answer to that question, not for somebody to start posting information on topics irrelevant to the question.

Jnmt has a valid concern that apparently, many people have not done research on or they don't care to share any results. How does anybody know that capacitation is not an issue? If it takes 8-10 hours for fresh healthy sperm that can live for several days to undergo the process, it is fair to assume that less viable thawed sperm that only lives for 10-12 hours (for the majority) dies before capacitation can be completed. Also, how do we know that capacitation doesn't take longer for thawed sperm because it is not as healthy? I know there are some websites out there that say thawed sperm can live for up to 24-48 hours but I have yet to see them quote an actual study and I have yet to find a study. I would greatly appreciate the posting of any links or names of those studies.

Also, if anyone does know the answer to the original question "How does freezing/thawing/washing sperm affect its capacitation?" Please answer it. You can assume we already know what capacitation means and that there are differences between fresh and frozen sperm.

cryo-admin

Thanks for the constructive criticism, jessabeth9. I hope this answers your question.

Scott

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8709297

Sperm quality improvement in cryopreserved human semen
J Urol. 1996 Sep;156(3):1008-12.
Sharma RK, Agarwal A.
Source
Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195, USA.

Abstract

PURPOSE:
We determined if separation of spermatozoa (washed) on a discontinuous colloidal suspension of silica (Percoll) density gradient before cryopreservation improves post-thaw motility compared to an unprocessed (raw) cryopreserved sample.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Ten normal healthy volunteers recruited into the andrology laboratory donor program were studied. Raw and washed cryopreserved spermatozoa were compared for loss of motility with time, motion characteristics, viability and membrane integrity after incubation for 1, 6 and 24 hours. Within group comparisons were made to baseline measurements (0 hours before incubation).
RESULTS:
Raw and washed cryopreserved spermatozoa showed statistically significant decreases in motility and other motion characteristics after thawing. There were significant decreases in motility and other motion characteristics after incubation periods of 1, 6 and 24 hours, and significant decreases in viability and membrane integrity at 6 and 24 hours in the unprocessed spermatozoa. Although, motility and motion characteristics of washed samples decreased significantly with longer incubation periods, loss of motility with time (longevity) was greater in raw samples. Washed samples retained greater sperm motility for up to 24 hours (p < 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS:
Specimens prepared by Percoll separation techniques before freezing offer the possibility of selecting spermatozoa that retain motility for up to 24 hours. This finding can be of benefit for couples undergoing intrauterine insemination to achieve pregnancy.

jessabeth9

Thanks for the information Scott. Doesn't really deal with capacitation as motility and capacitation are completely different occurrences quiet separate from each other, but it appears that nobody has done much research on that critical issue which is probably why it's a difficult question to answer. It is frustrating that nobody bothers to do vital research on how long a sperm needs to be in the reproductive tract before it is able to fertilize an egg. Reputable articles have said "several hours" forum postings have posted from 8-10 but never site their sources so who knows.

It is frustrating since there is conflicting evidence regarding how long thawed sperm survive. If they survive for 12 hours and it takes 8-10 hours for capacitation to occur, the window is very narrow for achieving pregnancy. Success rates would probably be greatly improved if fertility Drs would try to understand this issue, especially since they charge several hundreds of dollars for one small straw (1/6th or 1/10th of a full ejaculation) not even understanding if it will live long enough to get the job done.

Thank you for your time Scott, if your ever bored one day you should read the article "Sperm Transport and Capacitation" By Drs Robert Brannigan and Larry Lipshultz which may give you a better idea on the questions we're asking and stuff we're researching.

Winterbaby2013

Jessabeth9 you have some good valid points. I too wonder how long washed and unwashed sperm lives inside a woman. If the window is as small as you assume it is. That can be way so many women don't become pregnant. Those vials aren't cheap either. I have yet to decide on a donor. It makes me wonder how many times I will need to inseminate. Some women may start to think they have some fertility issues. When really the problem can be the sperm didn't live long enough to reach the egg.

SingleLeo

I've had this question for a few months now and have also failed to find an answer. How early should we insem in order to provide capacitation time? Why do videos and pamphlets say to insem right at the darkest opk, right before ovulation, ignoring the capacitation timeframe?