Donor Information

Choosing A Donor

The process by which you choose a donor is a very personal decision that is not necessarily the same for all patients. Cryobiology, Inc. provides assistance and information to guide you through the process of this important decision.

Information Available to You - The most logical place to begin choosing a donor is the Donor Search. We update the website up-to-the-minute as a donor's availability changes The Donor Search will give you basic physical characteristics of the donors such as height, weight, hair and eye color, etc. as well as blood type and the area of study or profession of the donor.

After utilizing the Donor Search feaure, you will have narrowed your choices considerably. At this point, you may consider reviewing the Donor Profile on your selections. A profile of a donor is a detailed physical description of the donor, including aspects such as face shape, size and shape of nose, and other facial features and characteristics. The profiles are created by Cryobiology staff who have weekly contact with each donor while he is participating in the program. The profile may contain additional information such as personality, likes and dislikes, or any other information the donor has provided to us during his visits. The format of our donor profiles includes the physical description, as well as an abbreviated family medical history. Using the profiles, you may be able to narrow your choices even more. Because we feel this is a valuable tool in the selection process, you are able to view profiles from the webpage by clicking on the donor number in the Donor Search. Donor Profiles are also still available by calling the office.

You also have access to the Medical Health History for each donor. This is a three-generation family health history that the donor completes upon entering the program. The donor is surveyed for changes in health information periodically while he is active in the program and his health history is revised accordingly. The health history was originally intended as information for recipients who had established pregnancies, however, many recipients now use the information as a screening tool as well. Histories are available at a nominal fee and can now be ordered online and emailed. (See Donor Search search page for specific donor information)

New information available on select donors include donor silhouette, audio interview, baby photos, In Your Own Words essays, and current photos. Click on each link to view examples and read a description of each item offered. Information is provided only with consent from the donor. Therefore, all information is not available for all donors.

Photo Matches are available and performed by Cryobiology staff who have contact with the donors. Current photos of the donors are kept on file, but are not available to recipients without consent from the donor. Photo matches can be performed matching partners, spouses, fathers, brothers, families, or children from past relationships. Multiple photos can be submitted, but please include an explanation of all relationships and a completed Photo Match form (downloadable). A table to aid in determining blood types follows this excerpt.

There are two options for photo matches. In the first option, you narrow the choices to a maximum of 6 donors and then Cryobiology staff will rank those 6 in order of match to your photos. Alternatively, the second option requests that Cryobiology staff consider all donors available and provide details on a maximum of 4 top matches. There is a fee for either option.

Information, which you will receive as a result of the match, will include:

• Explanations of the criteria used in determining the matches
• A ranking order of those donors chosen, beginning with the best match
• Your photos returned

Please allow 7 days for photo matches. You can mail the photos to us or send them via e-mail to info@cryobio.com, but be sure to include the completed Photo Match form as well.

Choosing A Blood Donor Blood Type - Blood type of the donor will be an important characteristic if you have chosen not to tell the child that he or she was conceived using donor sperm, or if you haven't decided what you will tell the child in the future. In either case, you will want to choose a blood type that will result in a child with a blood type having been biologically possible between the male partner and the recipient. Please note that choosing a blood type that is biologically compatible does NOT necessarily guarantee that either partner will be able to donate blood and/or tissue to the offspring, as Rh factors will be the determining factor in those situations. Rh factors are very difficult to predict without complete family histories of both the male and female counterparts.

If you have chosen to be open about your decision to use donor sperm, the blood type may not be so important unless the recipient happens to have a blood type with a negative Rh factor. In this case, be sure to notify the obstetrician about the Rh status of the donor because there may be a special treatment course for those with differing Rh factors.

Following is a chart for your use in determining blood type, if you choose to use it as a selection tool.

*A or B could be used, but if the donor and the recipient both contribute the gene for O, the child would be O. This would be an impossible outcome for the husband and wife. Recipient should be aware of this discrepancy if a suitable AB donor cannot be found.

Ordering and Shipping Information

Cryobiology, Inc. accepts orders from both physicians and patients, however we only ship to physician offices. Patients who wish to receive specimens at their home or pick up specimens from the lab must present written documentation from a physician's office requesting this service. Orders received by phone prior to 2:00 EST or online by Noon EST can be shipped the same day. Please call 1-800-359-4375 to speak directly with a receptionist or click on Donor Search to order vials or donor information online.

Ordering:
Physician Office Orders - Orders are accepted from physician offices via personnel (i.e. nurse, lab technician) responsible for placing orders. For telephone orders, Cryobiology, Inc. will bill the physician's office for the cost of vials and shipping fees. Credit card payments are REQUIRED for online orders. New accounts are set up when the first order from the office is placed.

Patient Orders - Orders are accepted from patients similar to physician orders with the exception that all patient orders MUST be paid in full before any vials are shipped. Patients must have all ordering information such as donor #, number of vials, delivery date, etc. prior to placing the order. Patient orders are shipped to the physician's office to arrive on the date requested or can be picked up at Cryobiology, provided a written request from the physician is supplied. (See Columbus area deliveries and pickups). Payment can be made by cash, check, money order, or major credit card (VI, MC, DIS, AE, DINERS CLUB) over the phone. Online orders are accepted with major credit card.

Shipping:
Shipping Details - All shipping is performed via courier. We use special shipping tanks in order to maintain vapor nitrogen  temperatures. Different delivery options are available, dependent upon individual situations. We offer both Standard and Priority delivery as well as Saturday options if the physician's office has Saturday hours.

WE STRONGLY DISCOURAGE SHIPPING ON FRIDAY FOR MONDAY DELIVERIES AND WILL NOT GUARANTEE A SHIPMENT WILL ARRIVE FROZEN ON MONDAY.

Because we have no control over how a shipment is handled at courier facilities and the integrity of shipping tanks is decreased when the tanks are not upright, we cannot guarantee orders shipped over the weekend. We suggest ordering on Thursday for Friday delivery to ensure the shipment will be available for the weekend or Monday use.

We do not ship on dry ice because it does not maintain temperatures as low as those achieved with vapor nitrogen. We feel this imposes too much temperature fluctuation on the frozen sperm samples, which may result in deterioration of quality. When handled properly, the shipping tanks will hold vapor nitrogen temperatures for approximately 7 days. However, the shipping tanks are not intended to be storage vessels, and the sample should be moved to stable storage conditions as soon as possible after receipt. Once a sperm sample thaws, it must be used immediately-it cannot be re- frozen without severely compromising the quality!

All shipping prices are round trip prices, which means that the price includes delivery to the physician's office and return of the tank to Cryobiology, Inc.

Occasionally, a patient may miss her insemination window or not ovulate. If the physician's office does not have storage facilities available, the order can be returned to Cryobiology for short-term storage. The same vials will be returned for the patient's following cycle. THERE IS NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY VIAL THAT HAS LEFT CRYOBIOLOGY FACILITIES. The patient is responsible for any additional shipping charges to return sperm samples to Cryobiology and to ship the order the next cycle. There is a restocking fee for any vial returned to us to be stored here until next time it is needed. The vial(s) is automatically entered into the short-term storage system (3 months maximum).

Cryobiology will hold the order for no longer than 3 months at which point the patient must choose to pay for long-term storage or forfeit the vials.

Delayed Shipments Due to Weather - Inclement weather often occurs in the Midwest and weather may delay shipments. Cryobiology's policy has always been to waive the shipping fee if a shipment arrives late due to the fault of Cryobiology or our courier. However, if the delay is due to inclimate weather beyond the control of either the courier or Cryobiology, the shipping fee WILL NOT be waived if a shipment arrives late.

If weather conditions are bad in Columbus, Ohio and/or surrounding Eastern states, we will try to keep you informed  when you place your order. However, it will also be your responsibility to monitor the weather and judge whether you should have your shipment sent the night before the day the sample is needed. We urge you to always have your shipments arrive the day before they are needed whenever possible to avoid any unforeseen complications.

Columbus area deliveries and pick ups:
Deliveries in the Columbus area are made by a local courier service. Alternatively, patients can pick up their vial(s) in the frozen, thawed, or washed state and transport it to their physician's office. Patients must have written documentation from the physician's office in hand or faxed to Cryobiology requesting patient pick up. No vial will be released without this written documentation for every pick up. Patients should confirm with their physician whether the semen sample needs to be washed for intrauterine insemination. A separate sperm wash fee will be applicable. Patients requesting pick up of a frozen vial have the option of taking only the vial and letting it thaw on the way to the physician's office so that it is ready upon arrival, OR taking a storage tank to keep the vial frozen until it is needed. If the patient chooses to take a storage tank, a rental fee and a deposit on the tank is required  an acknowledgement of responsibility for care and handling. The deposit is fully refundable upon return of the tank in good condition. This situation is used most often for potential weekend inseminations when Cryobiology is closed; the patient can pick up the tank and the sample on Friday and deliver it to the physician when needed.