Seeking Sperm Donor Options? How to Find a Sperm Bank Donor to Achieve Your Goal of Getting PregnantAre you seeking sperm donor options in order to have a baby? If so, a sperm bank donor offers the opportunity for those unable to conceive through the traditional routes such as heterosexual couples with male factor fertility problems such as non-correctable azoospermia, single women, or female couples in partnerships. A donor is a male who donates his sperm to a clinic know as a sperm bank for a fee. The donor's sperm is used to fertilize the woman's egg(s) during the reproductive process through artificial insemination (e.g., ICI, IUI, or IVF). In contrast to finding a sperm bank donor privately through advertisements or personal family or friends, there are a number of benefits to seeking sperm donor options through a sperm bank: Testing and Collection of Sperm Bank Donor Information. Sperm banks regularly test each sperm bank donor for a number of sexually transmitted diseases and certain chromosomal abnormalities and genetic diseases. They also obtain a thorough medical history from the sperm bank donor, which includes the health of their immediate and extended family for up to 3 generations. In addition, it is important for those seeking sperm bank donor options to be aware that sperm is typically quarantined by the sperm bank for several months prior to it being released for purchase to maximize the safety of sperm for use in artificial insemination. Oversight and Regulation of Sperm Banks. Since 2005, the testing and screening of donors at sperm banks is governed by federal law and regulations, which are enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA regularly conducts on-site inspections to ensure compliance. In addition to federal regulation, some states also license sperm banks, and industry organizations have guidelines for the operation of sperm banks such as American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) or American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). Anonymity of Donors. In the United States, sperm bank donors are permitted to donate their sperm anonymously, which sperm banks view as essential to maintaining an adequate supply of donors. In some countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia where identity disclosure is required, there is reported to be a severe shortage of sperm bank donors. Nonetheless, most sperm banks now offer options for “identified” donors whose identity is made available when their offspring reaches the age of 18 in response to some who seek an alternative to anonymous donors. Legal Rights of Donors. In the United States, if anonymous donor sperm is purchased from a sperm bank, the donor does not typically have any legal rights to the child. In contrast, if you are seeking sperm donor options privately, there is a risk that the private donor may be found to have certain custody and visitation rights to their biological children.
How to Choose a Sperm Bank There are number of sperm banks in the United States for those seeking sperm donor options. The majority of them have websites that allow you to search for a sperm bank donor at no cost, although you may have to register for a free account. In seeking sperm donor options, you should ask the following questions: 1. Is a physician required to purchase sperm from the sperm bank? The majority of sperm banks require authorization from a physician as a condition to the purchase of donor sperm. Nonetheless, there are a few sperm banks that do not require physician authorization, which allows sperm to be used for at-home insemination. 2. What type of information is offered about each sperm bank donor? All sperm banks have information about race/ethnicity, height and weight. While the majority of sperm bank donors are Caucasian, the number of non-Caucasian donors is generally more restrictive. If you are seeking a donor with a specific ethnic background, you may have to look at the inventory at several sperm banks as part of your research. Some sperm banks offer limited information about the sperm bank donor such as an initial medical history and summary of his educational background, whereas others offer written essays, staff impressions, personality tests, audio recordings, baby pictures, and even celebrity look-alikes. Most sperm banks require additional fee for this information, and you should expect the cost(s) to incrementally increase based on the amount of information that is made available to you about the sperm bank donor. 3. Is photo matching offered for the sperm bank donor? Most sperm banks offer photo matching services, which is a process in which the photos of your spouse or another male with physical characteristics that you seeking are matched by the sperm bank with the photos of donors that they have on file. The sperm bank will provide a list of donors who are identified as the best match. Since most donors are of college age, it is preferred to submit a photo of your spouse, etc. at the same age, if available. 4. What limitations are placed on sperm bank donor pregnancies? All sperm banks have self-imposed limitations on the number of births attributed to a single anonymous donor. Some banks use the actual number of births while others use the number of family units. It is important for those seeking sperm bank options to note that the imposition of these limits is dependent on reports being made to the sperm banks about successful births. 5. For those seeking sperm donor options, what is the approximate cost per sperm bank donor specimen or vial? In general, there is a wide range in cost from $250 to $700 per specimen or vial. You should expect to pay more for specimens in which the sperm bank donor is non-anonymous and based on the type of specimen (i.e., IUI, ICI, or IVF). While you should ask your doctor (if applicable) about the type and amount of vials that you will need, you will typically need 2 vials per insemination cycle. Some sperm banks offer financing options and will buy back unused vials that have not left the bank.
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