Vial Types
At Cryobank America, we sell a few different types of sperm vials. Our goal is to help you determine which vial type is best for your situation.
Both Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and Intracervical Insemination (ICI) are considered artificial insemination procedures in which treatment for fertility is performed by using a vial (or tube) to reach the uterus for intrauterine insemination or the cervix for intracervical insemination.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Vials
The sperm contained in this vial type is what is called a “washed” specimen. Sperm in this vial has undergone a premium density gradient separation wash, which is used to purify and isolate the healthiest sperm cells which will increase your odds of obtaining a pregnancy. A typical semen ejaculation contains much biological debris, other cell types, and seminal fluid, which can cause severe cramping for the recipient of the sperm and is used in an intrauterine insemination procedure.
This vial type is also the most versatile since sperm contained in IUI-ready vials have undergone a premium wash they can be used for intrauterine inseminations, intracervical inseminations, at-home insemination, in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures.
IUI vials at Cryobank America also contain the highest concentration of healthy sperm cells. Our IUI vials are targeted for 12.5 million motile sperm per IUI vial, which are sold in 0.5ml units – this is equivalent to 25 million motile sperm per milliliter.
This vial type is also the most versatile since sperm contained in IUI-ready vials have undergone a premium wash they can be used for intrauterine inseminations, intracervical inseminations, at-home insemination, in-vitro fertilization (IVF), and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures.
IUI vials at Cryobank America also contain the highest concentration of healthy sperm cells. Our IUI vials are targeted for 12.5 million motile sperm per IUI vial, which are sold in 0.5ml units – this is equivalent to 25 million motile sperm per milliliter.
Intracervical Insemination (ICI) Vials
The sperm contained in this vial type is what is called “unwashed”, where the sperm has not undergone a density gradient separation step. The sperm contained in this vial also contains the various biological debris, round cells, and seminal fluid found in a typical ejaculate. A cryogenic buffer solution is added to the specimen so that it can survive the freezing and thawing process, but that is all that is performed on this specimen type.
Since these vials do contain various biological cellular material, it is not recommended for use in intrauterine insemination procedures, however, this vial type can be used for intracervical insemination or at-home insemination practices. This vial type can also be used by your treating physician for onsite laboratory processing for intrauterine insemination, although there is typically an extra charge by your clinic for this.
ICI vials at Cryobank America are targeted for 17 million motile cells per vial and are sold in 1-milliliter units.
Since these vials do contain various biological cellular material, it is not recommended for use in intrauterine insemination procedures, however, this vial type can be used for intracervical insemination or at-home insemination practices. This vial type can also be used by your treating physician for onsite laboratory processing for intrauterine insemination, although there is typically an extra charge by your clinic for this.
ICI vials at Cryobank America are targeted for 17 million motile cells per vial and are sold in 1-milliliter units.
Vial Grades
At Cryobank America, we offer three tiers of vials, our traditional premium vial, A.R.T. vials, and IVF/ICSI vials.
Our traditional premium vials contain the highest number of motile cells per vial. IUI vials are targeted for 25 million cells per milliliter (25M/ml), and ICI vials are targeted for 17 million motile cells per milliliter (17M/ml).
A.R.T. vials, also called Artificial Reproductive Technology vials, are vial types that contain fewer motile sperm cells. Our IUI A.R.T. vials are targeted for a range of 6-24 million motile cells per milliliter, and our ICI A.R.T. vials are targeted for a range of 6-16 million motile cells per milliliter.
Lastly, our IVF/ICSI vials contain the fewest cells per vials, ranging from 1-5 million motile cells for each vial type. Though all it takes is a single sperm cell to fertilize the egg, we still recommend that IVF/ICSI vials are used for in-vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection procedures.
Vial Type Sperm Concentration Comparison
*Due to sperm counting being a subjective process, Cryobank America targets certain values and a range of +/- 30% is promised. Due to variations in counting methods and specimen recovery, it is expected that your laboratory will find values within 30% of our target concentration.
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