Reprobank

Reproductive technologies put to use to help preserve the reproductive functions of patients

This project has been initiated by Human Stem Cells Institute (HSCI) to provide personal storage of reproductive cells and tissues as well as a sperm/oocyte donation. These services are an important part of the concept of biological insurance.

Personal storage bank

Preservation of reproductive tissues (sperm, oocytes) is a service offered primarily to cancer patients who have reach reproductive maturity and are facing high doses of chemo or radiation therapy or the removal of organs involved in reproduction. This type of biological insurance provides patients (who otherwise may lose their reproductive ability due to cancer treatment) with a chance to preserve this very important function.

Reprobank also provides oocyte storage service for healthy women who due to career choice or other reasons seek to have children after 30-35 years of age. Such a service gives women the opportunity to make use of assisted reproductive technologies and give birth at a later age.

In addition, for the patients who undergo an IVF procedure, the services for cryo-preservation of unused embryos as well as reproductive cells are offered.

Donor bank

HSCI is organizing the selection, cryopreservation and storage of donor reproductive cells with the aim of providing services to couples suffering from infertility. All donors undergo strict medical and genetic testing prior to the inclusion of their samples in the donor bank. For sperm donors its a screening for 300 mutations (70 monogenic inherited diseases), starting the end of 2017 — for clinical exome.

In addition to its own sperm donor bank with more than 50 donors for today, Reprobank, as a distributor, provides its clients with the access to the collection of California Cryobank (USA) — one of the world’s biggest sperm banks (over 600 donors).