Using Donor Sperm

There are many different donor programs to help couples and individuals who are trying to conceive. Both donor eggs and donor sperm are available.

We have lots of patients who use donor sperm to help them achieve pregnancy. If you’ve been considering using donor sperm but you don’t know much about donor programs, below we have provided an overview of donor sperm, its uses, and how to choose a donor.

Why do People Use Donor Sperm?

There are several reasons why people use donor sperm to help them conceive. Commonly, this donor program is recommended by fertility experts when there is male factor infertility, in cases where a male partner has no sperm or a genetic condition and their sperm can’t be used. Donor sperm can also be used for single women and women in same-sex relationships who would like to have a baby.

How can Donor Sperm be Used During Fertility Treatment?

Donor sperm can be used in combination with a range of different fertility treatments to achieve a successful pregnancy. For some, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) will be used to insert the prepared donor semen into the uterus close to the time of ovulation. For others, In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) will be used to fertilise eggs with donor sperm in a laboratory and the embryos are then transferred into the uterus. 

All our high quality donor sperm is rigorously screened and the donors have full medical histories taken. The sperm is frozen and quarantined prior to use. All donors are anonymous, but if a child is born, then the child may contact the donor from their 18th birthday if they wish.

Choosing the Right Donor Sperm

Patients can select donors based on their physical characteristics and their employment, education and hobbies. Patients can view and select our donors online at home, and will be given access to our donor website once they have attended implications counselling.

All our donors are invited to write a pen portrait that includes a description about them and a goodwill message intended for any child or children born as a result of their donation.

Donor-conceived people have a range of reasons for wanting to know about their donor. Some are curious about why their donor donated and if they have children of their own, others want to know where their physical and emotional characteristics might come from. We encourage our donors to include information about their education, achievements, views, values and life experiences.

This all-important information enables parents of a donor-conceived child to talk to them about their origins as they grow up. A donor’s pen portrait is available for you to read when you are choosing your donor. If we don’t have a donor that suits the characteristics that you are looking for, you can import a donor from elsewhere so that you can still have your treatment here and get a donor who suits you.

All patients undergoing insemination with donor sperm are required to book a counselling session to fully explore the implications of this, before making any decisions.

Book an appointment

To find out more about using donor sperm or our sperm bank please contact us or book an appointment with a fertility consultant.