Dried sperm could be stored at home
Ian Sample
Wednesday July 2, 2003
The Guardian
Sperm samples could be stored in the kitchen cupboard instead of at sperm banks thanks to a new preservation technique that preserves sperm by drying it.
Storing dried samples at room temperature, then reconstituting them with a drop of liquid does not seem to interfere with the sperm's ability to fertilise eggs, the meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard yesterday.
The sperm bodies and tails may be damaged but the DNA inside appears to be fine, said Daniel Imoedemhe, a Saudi Arabian fertility specialist. This suggests the technique would only be useful for use where the sperm is injected directly into an egg.
Dr Imoedemhe said the process allows "patients to take responsibility for storing their sperm at home".