What is Sperm Donation?
One in six couples seeks medical help in order to achieve a pregnancy and for some treatment with donated sperm is their only hope of conceiving a baby.
Sperm donation has been used for over a hundred years as a form of assisted conception. Unfortunately over the last few years there has been a fall in the number of donors coming forward and as a result there is a national shortage of sperm for fertility treatment.
To help its patients Bourn Hall Clinic has established its own sperm bank and this has been successful in attracting donors and more are required to meet the needs of couples desperate for a child.
Why is Donated Sperm Needed?
- Cancer treatment, vasectomy, injury, or other male fertility factors can result in no sperm in semen
- An inherited disease such as haemophilia or Duchenne's muscular dystrophy will risk the life of a resulting baby
- Incompatible blood types - for example if the female partner is Rhesus (Rh) sensitised and the male partner is Rh positive this makes pregnancy problematic
- For the treatment of single women or lesbian couples
- The male partner has an incurable sexually transmitted disease such as HIV
Who Can Donate Sperm?
Healthy men between 18 and 40 can become sperm donors.
The HFEA allows a payment of £35 to sperm donors each time they visit the clinic for expenses.
Patients may wish to use a known donor or a relative. This is acceptable if all parties agree.
All donors are screened to ensure they are free of infections, diseases or genetic conditions that might be transmitted. They will be asked about their medical and family history and will be given a medical examination and blood tests. Current British law allows us to create up to 10 families from one sperm donor.
What Happens at the Clinic?
Bourn Hall is a dedicated fertility clinic and treats everyone with respect and confidentiality. You will be given an appointment and an opportunity to have a discussion with a consultant.
There will be a physical examination, blood and urine tests.
All male patients give a semen sample as a matter of procedure so there is a suite of special rooms designed to put you at ease.
If the semen sample shows sufficiently high quality sperm then you will be asked to provide about 10 to 15 samples over a period of time which will be prepared and stored.
All sperm is rigorously screened, frozen and quarantined for six months. After six months you will be asked to repeat the blood tests.
