Understanding Donor Sperm

Donor sperm refers to semen samples from a known or unidentified donor that are used to achieve a pregnancy. Patients can ask a family member or friend to donate sperm to have a biological or intimate link to their future child.  

Alternatively, many individuals and couples select an unidentified donor from a sperm bank.

WHO CAN BECOME A SPERM DONOR?

Sperm donors can be known or unknown to the intended parent(s). Fertility clinics and donor sperm banks must follow the FDA guidelines for human tissue and cell donation. 

It is not easy to become an unidentified sperm donor for a sperm bank, with only about 5% of donor applicants becoming sperm donors. All sperm donors must meet certain age and medical criteria and they often include the following:

✓ Are a legal adult under 40 years of age
✓ Do not have a history of injection drug use
✓ Have a college degree or are currently enrolled in college

Known sperm donors must also undergo an extensive screening process and sperm must be quarantined in accordance with the donation site requirements and FDA guidelines.

If the donor passes this testing, the sperm bank conducts a semen analysis to evaluate sperm count, movement (motility), and shape (morphology). The sperm donor can donate sperm if the semen sample meets the bank’s donor sperm requirements.

Donor sperm can come from a known or unidentified donor. Deciding which option is best for you depends on your personal circumstances. Ensuring that donor sperm is free of infectious disease, whether from a known or unidentified donor, is the top priority for our team and third-party sperm banks. 

KNOWN SPERM DONOR

Some parents-to-be want their future child to have a biological connection to someone they know.  If you choose this option, your donor will be screened with a review of their medical history, sexual history, genetic history and history of drug and alcohol use.  Consultation with a licensed social worker or psychologist will evaluate the psychosocial issues that should be considered between the known donor and the intended parents.  

The sperm donor will be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other diseases and have genetic screening.  The sperm donation will be quarantined before treatment can be initiated, typically for 3 to 6 months. The sperm donor will be re-tested for infectious diseases and if testing is negative, the quarantined sperm can be released to Boston IVF for treatment. 

UNIDENTIFIED SPERM DONOR

Each sperm bank has a database of sperm donor profiles so you can find the right donor sperm for your family. 

Though you can purchase sperm from any cryobank, we have a partnership with several sperm banks which offer Boston IVF patients a diverse selection of donor sperm at a cost that may be much lower than other sperm banks. 

Once you select the donor sperm, the sperm bank will ship the semen sample to your fertility clinic. Sperm banks perform all the necessary testing and quarantine on the semen samples before the donor profile is activated. Therefore, the unidentified donor sperm is ready for immediate use. It is helpful to choose donor sperm early in the IVF or IUI process to allow enough time for the shipment to the fertility clinic.