Donation of Sperm

To be a sperm donor, you must be between the ages of 18 and 45 and have high-quality sperm. This is significant because sperm is stored by freezing. The majority of men's sperm does not survive when they are thawed out for treatment. As a result, not all men will be suitable sperm donors.  

You must be in good health, not be a known carrier of any genetic or other medical condition(s) that could harm any children born, and have a BMI of less than 35.

What is at stake?

• As a first step, we will conduct a sperm analysis to ensure that your sperm is of high quality and freezes well.
• You will meet with a counselor to ensure that you understand the implications of what you are doing.
• You will meet with a doctor who will examine your medical and family history to ensure that no harmful infections or conditions are passed on to the recipients or any children who are born.
• You will be seen by a nurse so that we can collect blood and urine for testing.

Following the other appointments listed above, we will need you to come into the clinic to collect approximately 15-20 sperm samples for storage. We will ask you to return three months after the last sample was stored so that we can repeat some of the screening blood tests. The sperm samples can now be used to treat our patients.  

The entire process of donating sperm takes 6-9 months.

Do I get paid?

Sperm donors are entitled to £35 compensation per clinic visit, plus expenses (excluding loss of earnings) if they exceed £35 If you do not wish to accept this compensation, you are not required to do so.

Do you provide sperm sharing?

Yes If you plan to have treatment with your partner, you may be able to donate your sperm in exchange for a free IVF cycle. For more information, please contact us.

What type of screening is required?

We must ensure that using donor sperm will not put the recipient or the child(ren) born at risk of infection or genetic condition. As a result, all donors are subjected to the following screening:

• HIV
• Hepatitis B and C are infectious diseases.
• HTLV
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
• Blood type
• Cystic fibrosis (CF)
• Chromosomal analysis (karyotype)
• Syphilis
• Gonorrhoea
• Chlamydia

Furthermore, if appropriate, we may screen for:

• Sickle cell disease
• Thalassaemia
• Tay Sachs

All of these tests are performed prior to any donations being made. We will repeat some of the screening three months after the last sample has been stored. If everything goes well, we can begin using the samples to treat our patients.

Who will be the recipient of my sperm?

For some, receiving sperm from a donor is their only chance of having a child. This could be due to the fact that they are unable to produce their own sperm, that their sperm is abnormal or of poor quality, or that they are single or in same sex relationships.  
There is a legal limit on the number of families that can be formed using sperm from a single donor. This limit is currently set at ten families.

Who would be the legal guardian of a child conceived with my sperm?

Any child(ren) born as a result of donor treatment is legally the child(ren) of the patient's husband, wife, or civil partner, unless he/she did not consent to the treatment. The sperm donor is not the legal parent of the child and bears no legal or financial responsibilities for the child(ren).

Who would suspect that I am a donor?

All sperm donors are registered with the HFEA, and information about all treatment cycles that use donor sperm, as well as their outcomes, is kept on a confidential register.  
In addition, we will request your permission to contact your primary care physician. This is because we need to ensure that you have no medical or family history that would preclude you from becoming a donor.

Will the sperm recipients recognize me?

Prospective recipients of your sperm and eggs, as well as the parents of children born with your sperm, will be able to learn some non-personal information about you. They will not, however, be able to discover your name or any other information that could be used to track you down.

Jessop Fertility encourages children born with donor sperm and eggs to be open, but it is possible that such a child will go through life unaware that they were conceived with the assistance of a donor. Any children born as a result of your sperm donations, on the other hand, will be able to contact the HFEA in the future to learn your name and last known address.  

They will also be able to discover information you provided, such as your occupation and hobbies. You will also have the opportunity to send a "goodwill message" to the child(ren).

Will I be able to learn anything about the children born from my sperm?

We can tell you if a baby or babies was born. We know how many there are, whether they are boys or girls, and what year they were born. We would be unable to identify you.  

As a donor, you and your family will always be able to access our counselling service, both now and in the future. Counseling may be beneficial when learning about children born from your sperm.

HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority): http://www.hfea.gov.uk/

For those considering becoming a donor, the HFEA also publishes some helpful "Lifecycle" leaflets.

Http://www.ngdt.co.uk/ The National Gamete Donation Trust

What should I do now?

If you believe that sperm donation is right for you, please contact us.