​WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE TO DONATE SPERM

Sperm donation seems simple enough – you donate sperm, someone uses it to try for a baby. But it’s actually much more involved than that.

Our Semovo sperm bank manager Joanne Adams reveals what it’s really like to donate sperm, and what it takes to become a sperm donor:

What are the typical reasons for donating sperm?

Donating sperm isn’t done for financial gain in the UK, as sperm donor compensation is set and covers expenses only.

So it’s always a very altruistic and generous thing to do. All Semovo sperm donors are donating to give someone else the hope of a child.

Sometimes a donor may know of people who’ve had fertility struggles, or who have used donor sperm before, and want to do something to help.

What’s the sperm donor application process like?

It involves an in-depth health and medical history check including the medical background of your parents and grandparents, blood tests and semen analysis. It’s rigorous for a reason. We have to first ensure there’s no risk of any genetic, hereditary or infectious diseases to whoever uses your sperm or the child they have, and that your sperm is of great quality and capable of being used in fertility treatment.

It also involves having some personal conversations with our counsellors – such as why you want to donate, and whether you truly understand the implications of sperm donation.

What happens when it’s time to donate?

The actual act of sperm donation takes place in clinic private rooms. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about – our aim is to make sure you always feel comfortable and at ease.

When you’re done, we’ll check your sperm. We’re looking at things like sperm count, sperm mobility and sperm shape for that particular donation.

How many times would a sperm donor donate?

We need a lot of your sperm! It can take multiple attempts for a person to achieve pregnancy so we have to ensure we have enough sperm for them to use. So it helps if you live near the sperm bank. This is why we have regional donation clinics at Semovo in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Glasgow, so you can donate locally and conveniently when it suits you.

What happens after sperm donation?

Your sperm is cryopreserved in our lab waiting to be used in treatment. We can store it for up to 10 years, and it can be used to create a maximum 10 separate families only.

Because there’s the possibility of your sperm being used a few years from now, we ask that you always keep us updated if you move house or your details change, so we can ensure your record is changed on the HFEA’s Register.

If you want to know, we can tell you if your donated sperm results in pregnancy and a live birth. We can tell you the year of birth and gender of the baby. It’s the best part of sperm donation – knowing that someone has achieved their dream of a family thanks to you.

Apply to be a Semovo sperm donor

Applying to donate sperm is really simple with Semovo – just complete our online application form and we’ll get in touch with you, or have a chat to our team on 0345 266 1272. You need to be aged 18-45 to apply.