Frozen Sperm Lifespan - Poll

[joule]

I would like to know what people have been told is the lifespan of frozen sperm once placed in the woman's body. I have received several different answers from different docs and have tried to find out the answer on the internet but there doesn't seem to be a clear answer.

What have you been told?

Julie

[drag5_0s]

My RE told me that frozen sperm usually survives about 12-36 hours, but that also depends on the quality of the sperm. He said in some cases frozen sperm can exceed 36 hours, but that is rare.

Lisa Marie

[joule]

Thank you for posting about this issue.

I ask because I just had my first IUI and I am not sure if the timing was right. One of my RE's tells me that the sperm lasts 12 - 24 ours tops. The other RE said it's longe than that. They did the IUI prior to ovulation. On u/s the egg was still there but the b/w said I was about to ovulate. I have been having lots of cramping before and after the IUI and so I can't tell when I ovulated. There wa a moment about an hour after the IUI that I got several sharp pains in my ovary (I think) and assume that wad ovulation. My ovaries are real sore from all the u/s that have been done. I was also told I might experience cramping from the IUI. So, I am hoping that the timing was right but it is unclear to me whether it was or not.

I have searched the internet and have seen that the egg lasts 24 hours. That is clear. However, I have seen referenced to frozen sperm lasting 6 - 48 hours. No clear answer so I thought it would be helpful to find out what everyone here might have been told.

So, next month (if this cycle doesn't result in pg for me) I will have more information about this and be a bit more involved in determining the timing of the IUI.

Julie

[drag5_0s]

Of all the IUIs that I have had, I have experienced some sort of ovarian pain after the IUI. I assumed that it was ovulation, but I wasn't always 100% sure. The only way that you can make sure that you had the IUI in the correct time frame would be an u/s about 12 hours after the IUI to confirm that ovulation did occur. Now that I'm back to doing IUI's, I have suggested to my RE to do an u/s 12 hours post IUI. At this point he is willing to do any thing that I suggest to him...considering that my DH and I have dished out some major bucks with no success...as of yet!! Now let's say that you haven't O'ed at the 12 hour u/s, then you could do another IUI and possibly get that BFP!

Lisa Marie

[joule]

Hi Lisa Marie,

I hear that! ART procedures can be so so expensive.

As for me, the next day after my IUI, I wanted to go for an u/s to verify that the egg was released but I couldn't get anyone to call me back from the clinic. If this cycle doesn't work out, I will talk to the doc about having a follow up u/s because the uncertainty of ovulation made me insane. This process is difficult and emotionally drainging and I see no reason to add extra stress like I was feeling about the timiing of the IUI. There just doesn't seem to be a logical reason to have to play guessing games. I can only hope that I ovulated while the sperm were still alive but I wont ever know for sure unless I am lucky enough to be pregnant this month. Only time will tell. Ughgh! I can't believe it is only 5dpDIUI. This waiting is torture. It feels like a lifetime.

Juie

[bebeblues]

I looked it up at one point, to be on the safe side, I would err on the side of caution and say only 12 hrs.

bebe

[joule]

I agree.

I hope that I can be more sure next cycle (hopefully I won't have to do another cycle - ) that the timing was right.

Julie