Sperm and Egg Banking

Fertility First is a licensed sperm bank under New South Wales law. Sperm from known or unknown donors can be assessed and stored. It is also possible to store sperm prior to surgery or treatment for cancer, as insurance against a reduction in sperm numbers. A significant amount of research is being done on egg banking, but the results are less certain in terms of pregnancy. We can offer the service but at this stage cannot guarantee a reasonable chance of pregnancy or that the egg will fertilise normally after thawing.      

Surgical Investigation    

To assess the health or otherwise of the uterus and the fallopian tubes, surgery normally involves a day in hospital. Two to four 0.5 to 1 cm incisions in the navel or abdominal wall are all that are required to do this surgery. Removal of ovarian cysts or endometriosis and the repair of damaged fallopian tubes can also be done in this manner 'Ovarian drilling' is another technique sometimes recommended for women with polycystic ovaries. In this technique a small amount of the supporting tissue in the polycystic ovary is destroyed and this leads to spontaneous ovulation and pregnancy in 50 to 70% of treated women. Further information about these techniques is available.        

Research Projects    

Fertility First funds a number of research projects from the fees paid for treatment cycles. Currently we have 4 projects underway. Two are looking at the impact of weight loss on male and female fertility and pregnancy outcome. A third is looking at the impact of nutritional supplementation on sperm function and pregnancy rates. The fourth is assessing the impact of reducing a woman's anxiety and depression levels on pregnancy, both spontaneous and after treatment.

Though these might seem basic issues that should have been addressed long ago, there has been little study on the impact of lifestyle factors on fertility and the health of the pregnancy to date. Each of these studies is unique to Fertility First. If you are interested in knowing more about a particular study, or wish to take part, please ask.

The techniques and procedures to improve a couple's chance of conceiving are continually being modified in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART). The abbreviations for the various treatments can become very confusing. Below is a list of the techniques (and their abbreviations) in common practice, what the differences are between the treatments and the problems for which they are most useful. More information on the details and cost of these procedures can be found in the appropriate information sheet.