The importance of choosing a sperm donation clinic

If you’re thinking of starting a family with donor sperm or planning to donate sperm yourself, it is important to choose a regulated clinic. This is to ensure everyone receives the best possible support, expertise, and treatments available.

UK clinics are licenced by the HFEA and must adhere to strict regulations which ensure everyone involved understands their legal position and that the treatment delivered is safe.

According to HFEA, if you donate at a clinic, you will:

• not be the legal parent of the child,
• not have any legal obligation to the child, be named on the birth certificate,
• not have any rights over how the child will be brought up, or
• not be required to support the child financially.

Our Sperm Donor Bank Manager, Joanne Adams, explained the importance of using a regulated clinic.

“Regulated sperm donation provides peace of mind and safety for everyone involved. We use rigorous donor screening and rescreening of the donor while the samples are frozen and held in quarantine until they are as safe as possible to use. We would never use fresh samples as in unregulated donation

There’s no control over how many times somebody can donate their sperm through unregulated routes, and it’s not possible to know how many babies are born as a result. If you choose a reputable, regulated clinic, you can be sure your safety and wellbeing – is our priority.”

Why else should I use a regulated clinic?

Health screening

When you decide to start a family with sperm donor treatment, you’ll naturally want the reassurance that the sperm you use is safe. Manchester Fertility, along with other regulated clinics, screens donors for medical conditions and a family history of hereditary diseases.

Donor support and protection

It is important that donors are supported throughout their journey, and counselling is an integral part of this. We provide specialist counsellors to ensure donors understand what is involved before they decide to donate. It also gives the donor the opportunity to discuss any concerns and fully understand the process and implications.

Ethics

In-keeping with the law, regulated clinics in the UK limit the number of families that can be created via sperm from any single donor to a maximum of ten. HFEA states:

“You can donate sperm to create up to ten families and can receive compensation of up to £35 for each clinic visit.”

Unregulated sperm donation routes mean that a single donor could father an unlimited number of children in any geographical area and charge what they want for the donation.

Record keeping

Children conceived through regulated sperm donation clinics have the right to learn more about their parents when they reach adulthood. Regulated clinics keep records to ensure that children can find out about their parents’ background if they choose to once they reach the age of 18.

Unregulated sperm donation doesn’t offer the same reassurances.

We believe using a regulated clinic, a highly specialist team, and a supportive network is the best possible approach. We understand starting a family is an incredible thing and being a sperm donor is a generous act to help others start their journey to parenthood.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a safe sperm donor, please call us on 0345 266 1272, or start your journey here online.

To find out more about fertility treatments using donor sperm, contact the friendly team at Manchester Fertility on 0161 958 6122, or email us Enquiries@manchesterfertility.com.