One of the nation’s largest and most respected anonymous donor sperm banks, Fairfax Cryobank offers its patients a wide variety of options, including one of the largest selections of stringently screened donors, as well as cryogenic storage solutions for sperm and embryos. Originally established as the cryopreservation unit of the Genetics and IVF Institute of Fairfax, Virginia, it has grown into a national resource, serving physicians and medical centers in all 50 states and dozens of other countries. In the years since it was established in 1986, Fairfax Cryobank has added several significant options for patients, including the Family Solutions Program, Cryogenic Laboratories, Inc., and the GIVF Cryobanks Embryo Storage Program.

One of the most important services Fairfax Cryobank offers its patients is freezing and storing sperm, allowing patients to purchase several samples from a donor, use one immediately, and store the rest. Successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures usually produce several embryos, only some of which are used immediately. Many patients prefer to take advantage of technological advances that make it possible to use embryos that have been frozen for over a decade, storing embryos unused in the IVF process for later use, but local facilities may have space or time limitations. About 15 years ago, Fairfax Cryobank instituted the Embryo Storage Program, without any such restrictions, to provide patients with a convenient solution to embryo storage issues.

Sperm donors’ identities are kept strictly confidential, but Fairfax Cryobank conducts exhaustive genetic and infectious screening, and develops a thorough biography of each donor, including medical and lifestyle history. Most donors provide childhood photographs that patients can view; some provide additional pictures from other periods in their lives, including adulthood, called lifetime photos. Silhouette photographs are also available, with the skin and features shaded to show the donor’s profile while preserving his anonymity. Many donors have also completed Keirsey personality testing and provided other material to help patients assess their personalities. More information about the comprehensive range of services offered by Fairfax Cryobank is available on the firm’s website at www.fairfaxcryobank.com.