CNN News,  New Scientist, Human Reproduction Update, and other news outlets are reporting that the sperm counts of men living in North America, Europe, and New Zealand have plummeted by 50-60% over the past 40 years. These reports are based on a comprehensive study conducted by an international team of researchers led by Dr. Hagai Levine of Hebrew University. The researchers documented a continuing decline of 1.4% per year. Declines in male sperm counts have been linked to endocrine disrupting...

Genetic testing is an essential part of selecting healthy sperm donors. That’s why Seattle Sperm Bank offers the most comprehensive genetic testing of donors of any licensed sperm bank in the U.S. Plus, we are always looking to improve. For all donors who have entered our program since August 2016, our current screening process includes testing for up to 100 genetic conditions. Of course, genetic testing is just part of our donor screening process, which also includes a full physical exam,...

It's finally happened. After all the time and effort of choosing a donor, scheduling your vial deliveries, and exercising plenty of patience you've successfully conceived. Now it's time to share the wonderful news! And when you do, please be sure to include Seattle Sperm Bank by reporting your pregnancy – and later – the birth of your child. We love hearing success stories from the families we work with. It's the most satisfying part of our work. And when you update us, you’re also helping...

Choosing a sperm donor takes time, effort, and emotional energy. When you do find the right one, you want to be sure the vials of sperm you order match your donor selection. Seattle Sperm Bank's proprietary SURE-CHECK system ensures this. It guarantees the chain of custody for donor identification from beginning to end, giving you greater peace of mind. Trying to conceive can be stressful. Knowing you have the right vials eliminates some of the worry so you can focus on getting pregnant and...

As a Client Services Coordinator at Seattle Sperm Bank the past three years, Katie Couture spends a lot of time talking with clients. Which is fitting considering she's currently working on a master's degree in counseling. She uses her skills to help match clients with the right donor while also guiding them through the entire process. In this interview, she offers advice to potential clients including the best questions to ask when choosing the right fertility clinic. Describe a typical work...

    By Rita Sneeringer, MD Reproductive Endocrinologist Boston IVF All women deserve the opportunity to experience parenthood. For me, it's a very special honor to support women through fertility treatment as they grow their families, and I'm continuously in awe of the strength and resilience of each patient that comes through my door. Encouraging my patients to become as informed as possible is one of the most important ways I advocate for women. There is no one 'right' way to...

At Seattle Sperm Bank, we’re always looking to improve our methods for selecting healthy sperm donors. This benefits our clients looking to conceive using donor sperm as well as the donors themselves. One major way we do this is by continually updating our approach to genetic testing as technology improves. And we’re proud to offer the most comprehensive genetic testing of donors of any licensed sperm bank in the U.S. Our current testing covers up to 100 genetic conditions. Along with using...

  Much goes on behind the scenes to prepare donor sperm for use. In this post, we outline the process to help you understand what happens before vials arrive at your door or your clinic for use. We’ve written previously about how we carefully screen our sperm donors. So, once sperm quality is confirmed, samples are processed and concentrated into small batches and then placed into vials to be frozen. A compound is added to help facilitate the freezing process. Usually made of glycerol,...

When you’re trying to get pregnant using donor sperm, timing is everything. You need to time the shipping and arrival of your sperm samples. You need to time your insemination attempt. And most of all, you need to know the time frame when you're most likely to conceive—meaning your all-important fertility window. It’s a lot to remember. Fortunately, there’s technology to help you with that in the form of apps that track the signs and symptoms of fertility. But which one to choose? App prices...

Christine Ulbrich is a Donor Coordinator in Seattle Sperm Bank’s Phoenix clinic. Along with recruiting donors and helping them navigate the application and interviewing process, she also helps clients from our Seattle clinic select the right donor. What is a typical work day for you? My work days vary a lot. My main tasks include checking donors in and making sure their applications are complete, setting them up with blood work, reviewing donor profiles, doing genetic reviews, and ensuring all...