How to Find a Sperm Donor and Choose the Right One?

Choosing a donor sperm is a huge step on your journey to parenthood. Since this is a decision that will stay with you (and your baby) forever, it’s important to choose wisely.

In this blog post, you will find a comprehensive guide to help you select one that checks all of your boxes.

Using a sperm donor to get pregnant — how does it work?

With sperm donation, a third party provides sperm to help with conception. As a modern way of building a family, sperm donation makes it possible for all kinds of families to welcome a baby into their lives. These may include:

Are sperm banks secure?

Sperm banks are the safest method to obtain sperm for fertility treatment. Donor sperm is kept in a frozen state to maintain its quality and safety. In addition, sperm is held for up to six months and screened for infections before it can be used for reproduction purposes.

Who are sperm donors?

Sperm donors are usually healthy young men between the ages of 18 and 40. Some of them are university students, successful professionals and some of them even have their own families.

There are a number of reasons why men choose to become sperm donors. Common reasons include:

Different types of sperm donors

Depending on whether the donor’s identity is known or confidential, there are two kinds of sperm bank donors:

• Anonymous (the majority of sperm donors are anonymous)
• Non-anonymous (a family member, friend, etc.)

When choosing a sperm donor, consider whether they desire future contact with the resulting child(ren). Based on this criterium, there are open and non-contact donors. In the case of open donors, the child can contact the donor when he/she turns 18. This is not allowed with non-contact donors.

Sperm donor screening procedures

Sperm donation is much more complex than you might think. All sperm donors are required to undergo a long and scrutinous screening process before being allowed to donate. This process involves medical, fertility and genetic evaluation to check for addictions, infections (e.g. HIV) and genetic diseases. This step ensures that the sperm you get is safe and high quality.

Most sperm banks require donors to:

• be between the ages of 18 and 40
• Have a normal weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9)
• Be screened for medical conditions
• Be free of serious medical and genetic conditions
• Have a healthy diet and lifestyle
• Be able and willing to commit to the sperm donation process

Different kinds of sperm

Sperm banks offer sperm specifically prepared for each method of assisted reproduction:

• Intracervical insemination (ICI) uses unwashed sperm that is placed into the cervix using a needless syringe.
• Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is performed by injecting washed (concentrated) sperm into the woman’s uterus using a thin, flexible tube.
• In vitro fertilisation (IVF) involves fertilising the eggs with (unwashed) sperm outside the body (in vitro) — with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

What to look for when picking a sperm donor?

The biggest advantage of choosing a sperm donor through a sperm bank is to ensure that the sperm donor is healthy and disease-free. This allows you to focus on factors like:

• Physical attributes
• Education
• Career
• Personality
• Ethnic/national background
• Hobbies/interests
• Other factors (such as handwriting or voice)

There are several ways to get to know better sperm bank donors, including:

• Essays and answers to questions about their personality, family and life.
• Audio interviews
• Baby photos (which can help construct the donor’s face using special software)
• Results from personality tests

What are the most popular traits among sperm donors worldwide?

Most couples choose donors that closely resemble the male partner, but the most common characteristics among sperm donors include:

• Brown hair
• Brown eyes
• Fair/pale complexion
• Christian religion
• Educational background in business or accounting

One study on the selection of donors showed that men who are intelligent, introverted, and have a mild temper are preferred to those who are extroverted.

Risks of buying sperm on the black market

Some donors operate through social media (often referred to as “the black market” for sperm). Sperm can be obtained either for free or for a fee, and insemination can be accomplished naturally or using special kits.

This method of finding your own sperm donor has advantages (like facilitating the connection between couples and donors) but it’s considered unsafe. Black market donors are not screened for health and genetic conditions. Second, there’s no legal contract in effect, meaning that the donor is the legal father of the child and can claim parental rights in the future.

Last but not least, the absence of regulations and contracts may leave donors unprotected from financial claims for child support and inheritance.

How to choose the best sperm donor

Choosing a sperm donor is a personal decision — there’s no right or wrong answer. What you desire in a donor might not be attractive for other couples, and that’s okay.

Follow these tips to guide you through the selection process:

• Work with a fertility clinic
• Choose a donor from a recommended list of reputable sperm banks
• Decide which characteristics or traits you want to see in your donor
• Choose between a known or anonymous donor
• Be aware of the difference between CMV positive and CMV negative donors
• Review the donor profiles of your choice together with your doctor
• Decide on the number of vials you’ll need to purchase

Take the first step toward getting pregnant!

Using donor sperm is a rewarding experience. Whatever your reason is, make sure to always use a reputable sperm bank or a licenced fertility clinic.

If you suspect that you cannot conceive due to sperm issues, a sperm analysis home testing kit is an affordable way to discover more. Home AMH tests can help women determine the status of their ovarian reserve (otherwise known as egg supply).

If your fertility journey requires a sperm donor, make an appointment with a fertility specialist who can advise you on the next steps. For those living in the UK, you can schedule a telemedicine consultation for free.

Originally published at https://blog.fertilityconnected.com on October 15, 2019.