Why are sperm donors needed?
What are the donor requirements?
Some of the criteria are that the donor must:
- Be aged between 18 and 40 (sperm can be donated up until the donors 41st birthday).
- Be proven to be negative for infectious diseases including (but not limited to) HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis B and C and syphilis.
- Be fit and healthy.
- Have no known inheritable disorder or serious medical problems.
How to start the process?
Due to previous experience with hoax calls it is important that we avoid giving information over the phone so information about becoming a sperm donor, screening tests and the donor questionnaire is either posted out or emailed to you.
When you have read the information, if you wish to proceed, complete the Sperm Donor Questionnaire and include a passport sized photograph on the form. Then return to Andrology by post at Andrology Laboratories, Department of Reproductive Medicine, Old Saint Mary’s Hospital, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL or email it to andrology.lab@mft.nhs.uk
When your completed questionnaire has been received by Andrology an appointment letter will be sent out to you.
What happens at the first appointment?
Please abstain from intercourse or masturbation for between 2-7 days (3-4 days is best), prior to this appointment. This sample will be frozen and then thawed to see if it would be suitable for use in artificial insemination treatment.
Potential donors must be aware that after examination, a proportion of semen samples will fail to fulfil all the required criteria, but in the majority of cases this has no bearing on your potential fertility.
Blood and urine samples are also taken for preliminary screening tests.
Following these tests (the blood results can take up to 6 weeks) a doctor will look at your results and you will be sent either a counselling or a doctor’s appointment.
These results will determine if you meet our eligibility criteria to donate your sperm. These results will only be available at your doctor’s clinic appointment.
Which tests will a donor have before he is accepted?
Contacting your GP regarding sperm donation
How many visits will I have to make to the hospital?
You will need to return to the Department of Reproductive Medicine for blood tests six months after you have completed the course of sperm donation.
DNA profiling
A blood sample for this test will be taken during the donor’s first appointment and a small amount of semen from the sample produced onsite for the test freeze/thaw will also be retained for this purpose.
Information you must disclose
Future commitments
Expenses
How is the semen stored?
HFEA
Legal and Financial Situation Re Guardianship
When can any offspring contact the HFEA?
- The donor’s full names (and any former names)
- The donor’s date of birth and the town or district where they were born
- The donor’s last known postal address (or their address recorded at the time of registration)
- The donor’s NHS number
- The donor will be informed by the HFEA that enquiries have been made about them
Will the donor be held responsible if a child born from donation is disabled in any way?
What information will the recipient be given about the donor?
What information will the donor be given about the recipient?
Support
If you have any questions before, during or after your donation you can contact our staff who will be happy to discuss them with you.
Sperm donation email address : andrology.lab@mft.nhs.uk
Counsellors : Anne Curley or Bev Loftus (0161) 276 6800
Andrology Laboratory : (0161) 276 6473