There are many reasons to use a sperm donor. People undergoing treatment for standard in vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and intrauterine insemination (IUI) might need donor sperm. If you’re a same sex female couple, someone with inheritable genetic conditions, or even someone with decreased sperm quality or quantity, it can be a great way to become a parent.

While being able to hand-pick your donor is exciting, it can be intimidating, too. So, how do you choose a sperm donor? We’re here to help with a guide so that you can make an informed decision, understand the selection process, and consider all of the factors. Here are 6 things to think about before choosing a sperm donor: 

How to choose a sperm donor

Sperm donor arrangement

Donations in the UK are anonymous, aside from descriptions of the donor, which we’ll go into more detail about below. When your child turns 16, they can contact the HFEA to request the anonymised descriptions you received when you chose the donor. After your child turns 18, they can request contact information for the donor whose sperm you used in IVF treatment. 

There’s an interesting twist to these arrangement options: with the advent of DNA testing platforms like Ancestry.com and 23andMe, it’s not always possible to stay completely anonymous as a sperm donor.

Choosing the right sperm bank

Your fertility clinic can connect you with reputable and licensed sperm banks to review your options. Sperm banks do lots of screening to ensure donor sperm is high quality, free from disease, and without genetic abnormality. 

Sperm banks have a wide variety of donors, but if you have specific physical requirements for your donor, your clinic might be able to recommend a specific sperm bank to suit your needs.

Check the legislation in your country

Laws differ by country, but if you’re using a licensed clinic in the UK, a donor doesn’t have any legal obligation to any children created using their sperm. That means that they won’t owe you or the child any financial support, they can’t weigh in on how you raise the child, and they won’t be listed anywhere on the birth certificate.

However, if you have treatment outside of the UK, this might not necessarily be the case. It’s best to seek out legal advice if you’re considering using a sperm donor in another country.

The same goes for using a friend or family member as a sperm donor — when in doubt, ask for legal advice and draw up a legal agreement to ensure everyone understands their role after your child is born.

Sperm donor characteristics

One of the most appealing parts of using a sperm donor is being able to select someone based on characteristics that are important to you and your partner, if you have one. 

Physical characteristics: You’ll be able to review a donor’s height and weight, their hair colour and texture, their eye colour, and their ethnic background. While banks don’t offer photos of donors as adults, some will have childhood photos of the donors available.

Health history: Some banks will include a donor’s blood type in their profile. You’ll also be able to see if the donor’s sperm has already resulted in other pregnancies and if they have antibodies for specific common diseases. Banks often include family health history and any allergies in donor profiles.

Education: Donor profiles will include a donor’s level of education and the subjects they studied. If your donor speaks multiple languages, the sperm bank will include that detail, too.

Personality traits and personal interests: Many donors will give a brief description of their personality, likes and dislikes, and hobbies. Some banks offer “celebrity lookalikes” to hint at the donor’s looks, and others offer a “fun facts” section that might include the donor’s favourite foods, colour, and any other details they want to share about themselves.

Just like anything else in life, being too specific in must-haves can limit your donor options. We suggest listing your non-negotiables first and being open to someone that fits most of your preferences. 

Cost of donor sperm

Donor sperm is priced per vial, and you should expect to use one vial per insemination. Because many people need several inseminations in a given cycle, you might want to purchase multiple vials just in case.

Depending on the donor, clinic, and your location, donor sperm can cost anywhere from £425-1300 per vial. 

Quick plug: Gaia is the most affordable way to start and protect your IVF treatment, and a Gaia Plan can cover IVF with donor sperm. If you’re interested in a personalised, no-pressure quote, request a quote or learn how it works. 

Having multiple children with the same donor’s sperm 

If you’re planning to have more than one child, some people pre-pay for several vials from the same donor so that their children are genetically related. Because sperm banks can run out of a specific donor’s sperm over time, it’s smart to set aside money for more vials or to pre-pay and reserve your sperm. Some sperm banks offer “buy back” partial reimbursement programs if you pre-pay for sperm and ultimately decide not to use it. 

If you’re considering having multiple children, ask your clinic if they have a “sibling inventory” or “sibling stock” option, which sets sperm vials aside for people who want to have biologically related children from the same donor. 

Summary

Using a sperm donor is a great way to help you become a parent. Sperm banks screen and test all sperm donations thoroughly, and you can choose the donor that’s right for you based on their histories, personalities, and donation history. If you want to use the same donor so that your children are biologically related, you can — just ask your clinic for details. 

On top of a fair and affordable way to pay for fertility treatments like IVF with donor sperm, Gaia has a team of experts and a supportive community to help guide you through your IVF journey. If you need recommendations or help to start your path toward parenthood, we can recommend a clinic near you and personalise you a quote to finance your IVF treatment.