So You Would Like To Know More About Becoming A Sperm Donor!
Thank you for reading this information and taking the time to consider becoming a sperm donor. You may not know it, but there are a lot of people that will be very grateful to you for just considering becoming a donor. Many individuals and couples would not be able to create a family without your help - so thank you.
Fertility Solutions has put together a list of criteria that should be met enabling you to be a sperm donor. To be considered as a sperm donor the following criteria should be met:
• The donor must be over the age of 18 and under 45.
• The donor should preferably have proven fertility and preferably have completed their own family (these criteria are preferable but not completely necessary).
• There must be no evidence of coercion (from recipient to donor).
• It is not legal in Australia to buy and sell human tissue; therefore no payments are to pass between the donor and the recipient.
• The donor must be prepared to be known to any offspring once they reach the age of 18.
• Fertility Solutions has a limit of 10 families per sperm donor. If you already have children in a relationship this will count as 1 family.
• If you have a current partner, the decision to donate must be made in conjunction with this partner, ensuring that the decision you make is voluntary and with fully informed consent. We invite everyone to be involved so that everyone moving towards the same goal and is on the same page.
• You must be prepared to complete and sign a lifestyle declaration. This document states that yourself and your partner (if you have one), have lead a life style that has resulted in a reduced risk of the transmission of any infectious diseases.
• You must be prepared to undergo a Nation wide police check to confirm that you have no 'disclosable' convictions or have a 'disclosable' conviction that is detailed in the Certificate.
• You will need to undergo a full medical, physical examination and family history. This will be carried out by a fertility specialist and a clinical geneticist so as to minimize the risk of possible transmission of infectious or genetic diseases. The consultation with the clinical geneticist (Fertility Solutions uses Dr. Stephen Withers) can be face to face or over the phone – the choice is yours.
• We will have to do some infectious screening tests on you and your partner (if you have one). The screening tests for you include but are not limited to:
Blood Group (blood test)
HIV 1&2 - AIDS (blood test)
Hepatitis B & C (blood test)
Syphilis (blood test)
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) (blood test)
Chlamydia (Urine Sample)
Gonorrhoea (Urine Sample)
• The screening tests for your partner (if you have one) include but are not limited to:
HIV 1&2 - AIDS
Hepatitis B & C
Syphilis
Chlamydia (Urine Sample)
Gonorrhoea (Urine Sample)
• We also need you to have some genetic screening (blood tests) (but not your partner):
Cystic Fibrosis test (1 in 25 Australians are carriers for this gene)
Karyotype/Chromosome Analysis (making sure you have the correct number of chromosomes)
• At least one mandatory counseling session with your partner (if you have one), and a Fertility Solutions counselor. Sometimes more than one session is needed to assist you in your decision.
• We also need to have a look at your sperm so you will need to produce a semen sample via masturbation. You can produce this sample at home if this is more comfortable for you or you can produce the sample at Fertility Solutions in our dedicated, private room. To be a sperm donor, it is preferable that you have a normal semen analysis, although if your semen analysis is not normal you may still be able to be considered as a donor for couples who need IVF. For information on what happens with a semen analysis, please ask for one of our Semen Analysis brochures. Lastly we will do a trial freeze of your semen and then a day or so later thaw the semen and perform another assessment. The thaw results must be within normal limits with sufficient sperm surviving being frozen to -1960C and then thawed back to room temperature.
Once all of the above has been completed and your results have been assessed to be within normal limits, we have a cooling off period of 3 months. Being a sperm donor is a huge decision to be making and we have to give you, your partner (if you have one), and the clinic time to make sure that this is the path you wish to follow.
Once this time has passed then you can sign a reaffirmation and associated consents which will be provided to you in advance to read.
Fertility Solutions will provide you with profiles on recipients who wish to be considered for sperm donation, you have time to assess their files and make a choice. Once your choice is made we strongly encourage that you and the recipients become known to each other. This introduction is facilitated through a Fertility Solutions counselor.
WOW - that's a lot to think about. Thank you for taking some of your valuable time to read all this information. If you still would like to have further discussions we would be delighted to arrange a suitable time. Please contact us now.
A message from one of our recruited sperm donors:
"Having children and witnessing their development into amazing and unique individuals has been, for us, the most fulfilling and exciting experience possible. In our case it was easy, but we can empathise with those who, for whatever reasons, do not have such a smooth path. The opportunity then to provide assistance through sperm donation presented us a very natural and worthwhile option. We have found the staff to be wonderful, friendly, genuinely caring and superbly organised. We are tremendously happy to be part of their efforts to bring the joy of parenthood to others, and urge others also to become part of the giving."
