We're always thrilled when someone decides to become a sperm donor. Below is the process for donating your sperm. Our process of sperm donation ensures the quality of the semen and ensures your mental and physical health throughout.
1. First Visit – implications appointment and semen analysis
Once your application to be a sperm donor has been accepted, you’ll be invited to come and visit us at your chosen sperm donation centre. You will have the opportunity to discuss the sperm donation process in more detail with a member of the donation team.
You’ll also provide your first semen sample which allows us to check your sperm count and quality, and if the sample freezes well.
It is not uncommon for a sample not to meet the strict criteria for donation. If this is the case, this doesn’t always reflect your own fertility. Please remember that we’re very selective to give the best chances of success to those who want to have IVF using donor sperm.
2. Second Visit – counselling, sperm screening, and consultation
Choosing to donate your sperm is a personal, and important decision. So, we’ll invite you to speak to one of our experienced counsellors. They’ll talk to you about the legal and ethical implications of sperm donation. If you have a partner, we encourage you to include them in the counselling session. These sessions can be carried out online if that’s more convenient for you.
In the clinic, we’ll ask for a urine sample and take some blood for screening which we’ll test for HIV, Hepatitis, and various genetic conditions. You’ll also talk to one of our consultants about your medical history, your family’s medical history, and what is expected of you as a sperm donor.
We will confirm your consent to donation and establish what you’d like us to do with your sperm in a number of different scenarios. You’ll hear back from us in around three or four weeks.
3. Sperm donation begins
You’ll be expected to donate your sperm around once a week for 3 months.
This allows us to build up a good supply of your sperm to ensure we have enough to help all the patients who choose you as their donor. We will always try to arrange convenient dates and times for your donation visits.
We do everything we can to ensure you are as comfortable as possible. The donation rooms are furnished to ensure you feel at ease. Our clinics are dedicated to overcoming infertility and this is routine for us, so there’s no need to feel embarrassed. Not that you should be - you’re doing an amazing thing!
4. Final visit
Your sperm samples will be frozen and quarantined for at least three months so that we know they are safe to use during treatment. With your sperm being frozen, it means your samples can’t be used by patients yet.
After the quarantine period, we’ll ask you to visit for the final time to carry out a few more quick tests to check you’re still free from any infectious diseases.
5. After donation
Later on, you’ll be entitled to find out if any babies are born as a result of your donation, the year they were born in, and whether they’re a boy or girl. Your sperm can be used for a maximum of 10 UK families but is not restricted to one child per family.
Information given to recipients
We ask all our sperm donors to write a non-identifying personal description (known as a pen portrait) for those choosing donor sperm for their fertility treatment, and you can also write a brief goodwill message.
The recipient of your donated sperm and her partner will be given the following non-identifying information about your physical characteristics:
- Hair and eye colour
- Height
- Weight
- Build
- Complexion
- Race
- Blood group.
If a child is born from your donation, they might choose to request information about who you are when they turn 18. Your counsellor can talk to you all about this during your session.
