Why does someone become a sperm donor?
There are probably as many reasons to become a sperm donor as there are sperm donors in the world. It’s a personal choice and some of the reasons can include knowing friends or relatives who have struggled with having children, a general interest in helping others, and for minority donors, an interest in helping others of same ethnicity be able to have children. We can find many topics online about being a sperm donor.
What are the requirements?
The requirements for becoming a sperm donor are very high, and qualifying to be a sperm donor is not easy by any means. Most sperm banks will reject more than 95% of all donor applications for a myriad of reasons that most men would not think of. Of course you have to be in excellent physical health and normally between 18 and 35 years old, although many sperm banks do have donors up to 40 years old. You must also be free from any sexually transmitted diseases, not a heavy drinker or smoker, and free from any serious genetic disorders which may be transferred to your progeny. You will have to pass a physical examination and supply blood and urine samples, which will undergo further disease testing in the laboratory. The physical exams and testing process can take several months before a donor qualifies.
Your parents’ and grandparents’ medical history will be necessary along with yours of course. If your parents are deceased, then you will need to explain why and how it happened. If you were adopted as a child and do not have medical records of your biological parents, you may be disqualified because family history is important when selecting a donor candidate.
What about the commitment?
Being a sperm donor requires a serious commitment to the entire process. You must be willing to make visits to a fertility clinic or sperm bank 1 to 3 times per week for at least six months while your semen samples are tested, frozen, thawed and re-tested for conditions such as HIV and other diseases with an incubation period. You should expect to have at least an hour or more to dedicate to visits each week. Sperm donors must be re-evaluated through laboratory screenings, medical history updates and physical examinations at least twice a year.
What should I expect?
The first step in becoming a sperm donor is to complete the donor questionnaire from a sperm bank. where you must answer questions about your personal life and health habits. You can also expect to have to take a full physical examination and medical testing such as providing blood and urine samples. Donor candidates may be interviewed by trained counselors for information about their personality, behavior and health.
If your family and personal medical history are acceptable, then your provided samples will undergo an extensive evaluation and semen analysis. Your sperm are to be tested to ensure a suitable sperm count volume and other factors that will determine semen sample quality. Sperm donors must have a higher than average sperm count because the freezing process can affect a certain number of viable sperm cells. You may be asked to visit again for a follow-up exam in three or six months for various reasons such as incubation times for certain diseases or conditions.
You may be asked to provide photograph and you will need to decide if you want to remain anonymous or if you want to participate in an Identity Disclousure Program. You can expect to be reimbursed per specimen after approval.
Why should I do it?
As stated, there are as many reasons to be a sperm donor as there are sperm donors in the world, but many donors truly enjoy the experience and are happy to be able to help others build a family when they may not have ever been able to do so without a donor. You can read a donors story “Why I became a donor” in our previous blog post.
Where should I go?
You will have to find a local sperm bank where you can participate in their donor program. If you live in Georgia, try contacting Xytex about their donor program.
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