If the partner cannot be in Greece on the day: freezing or sending his sperm

This is one of the most common challenges I have to organise. The partner is working, cannot leave the country on the exact dates, or has to return home before the transfer. In egg donation, the difficulty is even greater: the donor’s retrieval date depends on her response to stimulation, and this is only known a few days in advance. Here are the options, from the simplest to the most involved.

Option 1: travelling only for the day of egg retrieval

Sperm collection takes place at the clinic on the morning of the egg retrieval, following a few days of abstinence as per the laboratory’s instructions. The partner can therefore make a short return trip, staying for one or two nights, whilst the patient remains for the rest of the process. This is often the cheapest option, but it requires flexible tickets and real flexibility: the date may change by a day or two.

A few practical details can help avoid any unpleasant surprises on the day. The laboratory checks the identity of the person handing in the sample: the partner must have their passport or identity card with them. Arriving the evening before rather than on the first flight of the morning allows for a margin in case of delays. And if collecting the sample on the spot proves difficult for him – which happens more often than people realise – it’s best to know this in advance: it’s reason enough to arrange for a frozen backup sample.

Option 2: freeze the sperm at the Greek clinic during an initial visit

If you are visiting for the first time for a consultation or examination, the partner can take the opportunity to have one or more samples frozen. These will be thawed on the day of the egg retrieval. This is the most reliable option logistically, as the samples are already in the laboratory that will be using them.

Before any freezing takes place, the clinic will request recent serological tests. For sperm storage, Greek law requires only the written consent of the man concerned. Ask the clinic about the expected storage duration, the cost and how to renew it; the general rules for storage are explained in the article on frozen embryos.

Option 3: having the sperm frozen in your home country and sending it

The sperm can also be frozen at a clinic in your home country and then transported to Greece by a specialist carrier in a nitrogen container. Greek law regulates these shipments: they may only take place between authorised facilities. Between two European Union countries, there is free movement between licensed clinics; from a country outside the EU, authorisation from the Greek National Authority for Assisted Reproduction is also required. The two laboratories must agree on the documentation and the freezing method. The steps are detailed in the article on cross-border transport.

This option takes time – usually a few weeks – and involves transport costs. It is particularly useful when the partner is unable to travel at all.

Consent, however, cannot be frozen

Even if absent, the partner must consent to the treatment. For a married couple, written consent is sufficient; for an unmarried couple, Greek law requires a notarised document signed by both parties. If the partner does not come to Greece at all, the question becomes: where and how do they sign? Ask the clinic before choosing an option, as this often determines whether it is feasible. Details for each situation can be found in the list of documents.

How freezing affects fertilisation

Freezing and thawing result in the loss of some of the motile sperm. For a normal semen analysis, this is not usually a problem: the laboratory adapts the fertilisation technique and opts for ICSI if necessary. If the semen analysis is already borderline, discuss this with your doctor before making a decision: multiple samples, or a fresh collection, may be preferable. See abnormal semen analysis and ICSI or conventional IVF.

How to choose

In egg donation, prior freezing primarily removes the uncertainty surrounding the date of the donor’s egg retrieval. The stages of a donation are described in the timeline for egg donation. If you would like us to look at which option suits your circumstances, please write to me.

Frequently asked questions

Source: https://fertilitegrece.com/en/blog/partner-cannot-travel-sperm-freezing/ — Triada Baloukoudis, IVF patient coordination in Greece. General information, not medical or legal advice. Printed on

Triada Baloukoudis
Independent IVF patient coordinator in Thessaloniki, with 24 years of experience supporting patients travelling from abroad. More · Contact · Facebook