hi,
does anyone went to a sperm bank before starting hormones? i never wanted to have children, but it ist good to know that i could ;)
it is very expensive to store it!
I did, because I wasn't sure if I would regret not doing so. How much are you looking at where you are?
I also didn't want to lose the slim chance I might have at making biological babies. At least this way I know I still have the choice to start a family rather than regretting losing the option.
My doctor said if I wanted to bank sperm I would have to do it before my HRT would be prescribed. It was a weird experience going to a male fertility clinic with them knowing my reason and preferred name/gender because I wasn't very comfortable telling strangers about my transition yet at the time. They were used to getting trans client referrals though and they were completely respectful. Photo ID was required when dropping off the 'sample' with the nurse because in the past people have tried to pass-off sperm as someone else's for a number of fraudulent purposes.
The cost in Canadian Dollars was $300 for initial processing and then $240 per year after that to maintain the storage. I have no idea how long the frozen sperm is supposed to be viable for - I've heard everything from ten years to indefinite. Mine is now almost two years old. I figure if I don't have kids by the time ten years passes then it won't matter any more - I'll be too old to sensibly start a family.
I plan doing this in the Netherlands. If possible, I'd have it covered by insurance, but not hopeful about that...
Wanted to say -- first thing I will do is check the quality of my sperm. What if I am shooting blanks or have another problem? Once it is certain that I pay to preserve good stuff, I will bank it.
One of my SF thoughts is maybe in future they will be able to transplant vagina of another woman into me, and that would be my shoot at using own sperm to get bio children. Though I don't think I will live long enough to get there.