How Does Sperm Donation Work?

I once heard a story about friends in the UK, a gay man and gay woman, who used a turkey baster to fall pregnant.

It’s a true story.

He did his thing into a cup, and then she took the turkey baster and sucked from the cup and squeezed his sperm into her uterus. Voila , pregnant. They now have a three-year-old son.

Here, we should add a “Do not try this at home” disclaimer! Of course, some of us have heard similar stories before, but often in other versions, this ‘technique’ doesn’t always work out and can be dangerous.

For some women, having a baby takes a little more time, some careful decision-making, and a donation from a man they may never meet.

Experts estimate about 60,000 people have been born as a result of sperm donations in Australia, as of 2015, but the procedure is becoming more popular. So there is no doubt a growing number of single women, infertile couples and same-sex couples are now reliant on donated sperm to fulfill their dreams of having children.

You can use sperm donated by someone you know, or by someone who has made a de-identified donation directly to a clinic. Donors must produce good-quality semen and have no evidence of any hereditary illness or sexually transmissible disease.

Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA) chief executive Louise Johnson told the ABC men who donated sperm were not paid and did so “thoughtfully”.

“The donors have formed their families and appreciate the significance that children bring to people’s lives, or they know somebody who is experiencing difficulties in conceiving and they want to help,” she told the ABC.

Ms Johnson said most clinics used sperm donors aged between 25 and 45 years old.

“Forty-five tends to be the age the clinics use as a policy cut-off. If you use an older sperm donor there is an increased risk of more DNA mutations in the sperm,” she said.

“Children born from older fathers are also at a slightly greater risk of inheriting a range or disorders including autism and some mental health problems.”

Choosing your sperm donor

To many, choosing a donor is most important and most exciting part of using a sperm donor. You have the right to decide which sperm bank and which donor to use. You have the right to sift and navigate through all available material on each donor including photos if available, physical characteristics, age, race, educational background, career history, ethnic background, general health and more.

Some clinics even provide audio interviews with the donor, or allow you access to their childhood photographs, while other value the anonymity of the donor above all else. Most of the time though, you’ll get a pretty good idea of who the donors are, which unfortunately doesn’t make it easier to chose. For most people, choosing a donor is the hardest part.

How does sperm donation work?

All donors, whether they are recruited locally or overseas, undergo rigorous preparation for donation, including:

1. Medical Screening

This includes thorough medical history, including family and genetic history; tests for HIV, Hepatitis B & C, HTLV I & II, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Chromosomes, Blood Group, Rhesus antibodies and full blood count.

2. Genetic testing

Performed to screen for cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and others depending on ethnic background.

3. Quarantine

All donors sperm is quarantined for 3 to 6 months, and donors are re-screened for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, HTLV I & II and syphilis prior to release for treatment.

4. Counselling

Most clinics require donors and their partners to spend time with counsellors to consider the legal and psychological implications of donation. In NSW, all donors consent to have their identifying information entered to the NSW Health Central Register, so children born from donation can access it once they turn 18. The laws in other states differ. The counselling is a critical part of enabling donors to understand and be comfortable with the long-term implications of their decision.

5. Family Limit

All donors are only able to help create five families worldwide. As the donor will also want to have a family of his own, most modern and ethical clinics limit the number of women who can conceive from one donor. Unfortunately, this wasn’t always the case, as we’ll discuss later.

Once the donor sperm is released from quarantine, the recipient’s eggs can then be fertilised using either IUI (interuterine insemination) or IVF treatment with ICSI.

Regulation

Under Australian law, a sperm donor who donates through a fertility or IVF clinic will not be named on the birth certificate.

However, in Victoria, when a donor-conceived person applies as an adult for their birth certificate, they will receive an addendum stating that further information about this birth is available from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

A person is not legally excluded from having parental rights or responsibilities if he donates outside the clinic system using artificial insemination.

It is illegal for donors in Australia to take payment for human tissue including sperm and embryos, although they can be reimbursed for travel and medical expenses.

Issues With Sperm Donation

There are a few issues with sperm donation, that you should consider before you consider it. For one, there’s the identity of the donor. In some states, legislation is being considered, or has been passed, that allows donor children to access the identity of their fathers.This is complicated, because it means that your children might yearn for a relationship with a man not necessarily interested in their existence.

Men donate sperm for all kinds of reasons, but they’re not always fatherly types.

Another thing to consider is the legitimacy of the donor and clinic you use. One of the reasons that we urge against considering cut-price clinics is because the vetting process isn’t as good. Not only is there a chance that bad sperm, with more chance of deformities and therefore birth issues, slips through, there’s also an issue of numbers. Good clinics limit the number of children who can be conceived from a single donor, but bad clinics do not.

In the days before regulation, one sperm donor might father hundreds of children, which puts those kids at risk of potentially meeting and having issues of genetic attraction.

You should always do your research before considering sperm donation, both on the donor as well as on the clinic. While it may seem like the perfect answer to your infertility, it might not be right for you and needs to be carefully considered and properly understood.

What are your thoughts about sperm donation?

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If you become concerned about any symptoms, please seek immediate medical attention we have some hotlines and suggested websites for further information and advice https://www.stayathomemum.com.au/my-kids/babies/important-hotlines-websites/

SAHM takes no responsibility for any illness, injury or death caused by misuse of this information. All information provided is correct at time of publication.