More Information for Potential Sperm Donors
Who is eligible to be a Sperm donor?
To be a sperm donor you need to be between the ages of 18 and 45. You need to be generally healthy and have no serious medical conditions. We accept both men who have had their own children and men who have not.
These are the most basic requirements. If you meet these then we would encourage you to complete our questionnaire for potential sperm donors (available here), which we will then review. If the answers you provide indicate that you may be suitable to be a sperm donor then we will invite you to visit our sperm donation clinic and sperm bank for an initial appointment. At this appointment we will ask you to produce a semen sample for analysis. If your sample is suitable then we will talk you through the sperm donation process in full. You can take as long as you need to decide if you wish to proceed.
WHO NEEDS A Sperm DOnation?
Donated sperm is needed by a broad group of patients. These range from heterosexual couples (where the male partner does not produce sperm, has very poor quality sperm or carries a genetic abnormality which could be transmitted to his children) to same-sex female couples and single women. Donated sperm is used to fertilise eggs, either using artificial insemination or IVF treatment; both of which take place within a fertility clinic.
What do I have to consider before becoming a sperm donor?
The donation of sperm is one like no other, but it can have a far-reaching impact on the women who receive your sperm donation, the donor children and you and your own family. In a legal and social sense, the people who receive your sperm donation will be the parents of any child that is born. However, the child will inherit your genes and therefore they, and any children of theirs, will be genetically related to you. You should consider how you feel about this now and try to imagine how you may feel about it in the future. As the law now stands, once a sperm donor-conceived child reaches the age of 18, he or she is legally entitled to find out identifying information about their sperm donor. Not all sperm donor-conceived children will want to know about their donor, but some will, and they may wish to contact you. You need to think about this carefully and discuss it with your partner (if you have one). We would also recommend that you consider telling your own parents and your wider family.
PaymeNT for sperm donation
The idea of sperm donation is attractive to some men because they assume that they can be paid for donations. This is not the case in the UK - it is against the law for us to pay sperm donors, as may be in other countries. However, we are able to offer you compensation for expenses you incur in visiting the sperm donation clinic and sperm bank (at present this is a standard fee of £35 for each time you donate). This compensation is issued as a lump sum once you have completed the donation process.
The decision to donate sperm is an important one, with life-long implications. There are many issues to consider and some of them are complicated. Before coming to a final decision, we ask that you have at least one session with our counsellor. She has a great deal of knowledge and expertise in dealing with both sperm donors and the recipients of donor sperm, and she may bring up issues that you had not considered. The counselling session(s) may be particularly helpful in exploring how the decision will affect you and your current or future partner, and any children you have now or may have in the future.
What advice and support will I get if i become a sperm donor?
What tests have to be done before I can become a sperm donor?
We have a responsibility to our patients to ensure that we prevent them from becoming infected with any diseases that could be transmitted through the use of donor sperm. We also have to take all reasonable steps to avoid treating them with sperm that could result in a serious genetic (inherited) condition being passed onto their child.
The standard screening for sperm donors is as follows:
Semen analysis, to make sure that your sperm is suitable for use in treatment and has a good chance of being able to contribute to a pregnancy
Blood tests for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis
Urine test for chlamydia
Karyotype (a basic genetic test which checks that the chromosomes in your cells are structurally normal)
Another type of genetic test which determines whether or not you are a carrier of the genetic disease(s) most common in people who share your ethnic background.
Occasionally, other screening tests will be performed, for example if you have lived in or travelled to certain foreign countries. All tests, and the implications of their results, will be fully discussed with you before they are undertaken.
What details will I have to give about myself and why?
The details you will be asked to provide include:
Your name
The name you were born with if different
Your date and place of birth
Your NHS or passport number
Your address at the time of donation
Whether or not you have your own children, and if so the number and sex of your children
Your height and weight, and the colour of your eyes, hair and skin
Your ethnic group and your biological mother and father’s ethnic group
Your medical history, including details of any physical or mental health problems or disabilities you have/have had
Whether or not there are there are any known medical conditions that may run in your family
Your occupation
Your religion (if you have one)
Your skills and interests
Your reasons for wishing to donate sperm
You will also be asked to write a short description of yourself and ‘a goodwill message’ which can be read by the patients who receive your sperm donation and by their donor-conceived children in the future. People conceived as a result of sperm donation are often curious about their origins; they may want to know whether they look like you or have a similar personality. They may also wonder why you decided to donate sperm and whether or not you have children of your own. You will be encouraged to include information about your background, education, achievements, views, values and life experiences; although none of this may be written in a way that could identify you.
All the details you give will be stored on a register held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The information is coded and is not available to the general public. Only those who have a legal right to access it may do so.