Change someone’s life forever as a sperm donor

Our sperm donors are from all walks of life – what they have in common is a desire to help people have the family they dream of having. If you think it might be for you, you’ll just need to be aged between 18 and 40, a non-smoker, not obese, free from any serious medical problem and disability, and with no history of congenital, family, hereditary or transmissible disease.

If you’re eligible, you’ll then be given a series of assessments including a medical consultation, a counselling session, initial screening for things like Cytomegalovirus (CMV), HIV 1 & 2, Hepatitis B and other infectious diseases, and an initial sperm analysis. This process can take around 1–2 months, and at the end you’ll have the reassurance of knowing that your sperm is healthy. 

If everything looks good and the donation goes ahead, you’ll be asked to come into the clinic 2 or 3 times a week for anywhere up to 4 months. Each time you come in, you’ll have a comfortable room that’s private and lockable where you produce the sperm sample by masturbation. Your sample is then passed to our laboratory staff for processing and storage.

As an HFEA-licensed clinic, we conform to strict medical, legal and ethical standards to ensure that everyone involved in the donation is protected and clear about their legal position. We’ve included some of the key points below:

• The person or couple who receives your donation will be the child’s legal and social parent(s) – you will not be named on the birth certificate and you have no legal, financial or social obligations to the child.
  
• During the process, we’ll give you a special HFEA form to complete asking for personal details about yourself. This form may be handed to the donor-conceived person when they reach age 18 or older. The information also enables the child’s parents to talk to them about their origins as they grow up so they can build a mental picture of you.
• If you like, we can tell you whether a baby/babies were born as a result of your donation and, if so, the sex of the children and the year they were born.
• You can claim compensation of up to £35 per visit to our clinic. We usually do this all together at the end of your donation.
• You’re legally required to consent to your donation in writing and you can change or withdraw your consent at any time, up to the point at which your sperm is used in treatment or any embryos created from your sperm are transferred.
• You can also place some restrictions on your donation – please visit https://www.hfea.gov.uk for more information.

Your decision to donate sperm is an important one with life-long implications. There are many issues to consider, and some of them are complicated.

You may also wish to discuss those issues with the counsellor at the clinic, as they will have experience in helping you explore the implications of your decision, now and in the future.

The following organisations can provide your with further information and support on being a sperm donor:

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority(HFEA)

The HFEA is the regulator of fertility treatment in the UK.

British Infertility Counselling Associate(BICA)

BICA is the professional organisation for infertility counsellors in the UK.

Seed Trust

Seed Trust is a registered charity and acts as a central reference point for issues pertaining to sperm, egg and embryo donation in the UK.

Donor Conception Network

The Donor Conception Network is a supportive network of over 2,000 people who have been involved in donor conception, as donors, recipients or children conceived from donation.