All things cryopreservation, and storing a sample with Fellow
If you are looking into cryopreservation and want to learn more about storing with Fellow, or if you're already storing a sample with us and have questions, you've come to the right place!
Below we'll answer our most frequently asked questions and also include details specific to our Cryopreservation Consent Form (required as part of the storage process!).
👉 What can my stored semen sample be used for?
Fellow cryopreservation meets the requirements for use in fertility treatment with a sexually intimate partner (SIP) only. From the perspective of a fertility clinic, this means that the person trying to get pregnant using sperm we store must have already been exposed to that sperm before (in a non-medical context).
👉 Can my semen sample be used for surrogacy, gestational carrier, or donation?
Based on our knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements, it is unlikely that samples stored with us can be used for surrogacy, gestational carrier, or donation to other people.
People who want to donate sperm or use a surrogate or gestational carrier may be required by law to provide medical history, undergo urinalysis and a physical examination, complete a color vision test and much more—all within a specific time frame after producing a sample. Our mail-in process offers many benefits, but we can’t facilitate these steps.
👉 How can my stored semen sample be used?
When the time comes and you would like to utilize your stored semen sample with your SIP (Sexually Intimate Partner), we recommend reaching out to a fertility clinic of your choosing to discuss what procedures/treatments work best for you and your partners fertility plans and goals. Fellow is not allowed to advise on what treatments are available as these will be selected by the fertility clinic of your choice.
Once you are ready to transfer your sample to a fertility clinic of your choosing, please reach out to our Customer Success team by logging in to your Fellow Account Portal and utilizing our live chat feature and ticketing system.
👉 Who has authority to use my stored semen sample?
The only authorized user is the person who produced the sample, and may have authority to instruct on transferring, destroying, canceling the cryopreservation services or using the stored semen sample. Case-by-case scenarios will be determined when a POA (Power of Attorney) is being utilized.
In the case the sample producer has passed away, the sample may be transferred, only if a SIP (Sexually Intimate Partner) is designated within the Cryopreservation Consent Form as a beneficiary of the sample and all of the required information for this individual is provided.
👉 Do I need STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) testing to store my semen sample with Fellow?
No, you are not required to undergo STI testing to store your sample with Fellow. However, we strongly recommend that you have an STI panel completed in conjunction with storing a sample.
It is highly recommended that you reach out to a fertility clinic in your area to discuss the requirements around STI testing (if applicable) as these will be determined by your receiving IVF clinic, including when an STI panel should be done in relation to storing, what panels should be completed, and where to complete this panel, if at all.
STI results should then be shared directly with your fertility clinic to have on file when coordinating the transfer of your sample. For privacy and security reasons, Fellow will not request or store your STI results. Please do not share your STI results with us, and keep these private and secure.
👉 I am ready to use my stored semen sample at a fertility clinic of my choosing, now what?
Once you are ready to transfer your sample to a fertility clinic of your choosing, please contact our Customer Success Team by logging in to your Fellow Account Portal and starting a chat with us.
You'll have the option to submit a ticket, to notify our team that you wish to start this process. From there, one of our Customer Success team members can assist you with this process!
👉 How do I sign/fill out my Cryopreservation Consent Forms?
During sample registration (done at the time of sample collection and listed on your kit instructions) you will be asked if you plan to store the sample with us and will be directed to fill out our Cryopreservation Consent Form.
When completing this process, please be sure to use your full legal name, initials, and date of birth, exactly as it appears on your Government Issued ID. The information you provide on your registration form, should also match this. Failure to do so may delay your results until any errors identified are addressed.
If you are a parent or legal guardian filling out the consent form on behalf of a minor, please upload a picture of your government-issued ID along with the ID of the minor. Once the minor is of legal adult age, they can reach out to us and we can work with them to transfer the consent forms into their own name (should they choose).
👉 I want to cancel my Cryopreservation Storage Subscription, how do I do this?
You may file a ticket with our Customer Success team to cancel your cryopreservation subscription by logging in to your Fellow Account Portal and utilizing our live chat features and ticketing system.
👉 I want to store more than one sample, how do I do this? Is another consent form required?
Each sample does require their own Semen Analysis + Cryopreservation kit purchase ($199 each) and a separate cryopreservation subscription ($140/yr). A semen analysis is required for each sample before it can be preserved to assess if it is viable for storage.
As an example, if you had two samples stored, they would each have their own $140/year subscription, totaling to an annual cost of $280/year.
A registration and Cryopreservation Consent Form is required for every sample stored with Fellow.
👉 I legally changed my name, how do I go about updating this for my stored sample(s) and subscription?
Please reach out to our Customer Success team to document a legal name change by logging in to your Fellow Account Portal and starting a chat with us.
Once we have completed this process with you, your stored sample(s) will be updated to reflect your new legal name.
Any legal name change will need supporting documentation for proof of legal name change
As a note - our lab requires your full legal name to be included on the semen analysis report. We recognize that some folks may have a legal name that is a deadname and we do not mean to cause harm or inflict pain with this requirement.
👉 What is a SIP (Sexually Intimate Partner)?
A Sexually Intimate Partner is defined as the semen sample producer’s partner with whom the sample producer has been/is sexually intimate with, who will, for future use, utilize the stored sample in a fertility clinic setting.
In short, from the perspective of a fertility clinic, this means that the person aiming to get pregnant using cryopreserved sperm, must have already been exposed to that sperm before (in a non-medical context).
👉 Can my stored semen sample be used without my knowledge/authority?
No, the stored sample may not be used without your knowledge or authority.
Certain scenarios may be addressed on a case-by-case basis in situations where a POA (Power of Attorney) is at play. These will be reviewed by Fellows legal counsel before any determination is made.
👉 Will Fellow sell my information or stored semen sample?
Fellow takes our customers information and privacy very seriously and as such Fellow will never sell any customer, patient, or user data. Fellow will also never sell stored semen samples.
All abandoned samples that are stored with us will be appropriately handled as outlined within the Cryopreservation Consent Form.
📎 Example of our Cryopreservation Consent Forms
Below you will find an attachment, as an example of our current Cryopreservation Consent form. We recommend reviewing this PDF, should you wish to learn more about what to expect when storing with Fellow and the Cryopreservation Consent Form process.