Frequently Asked Questions

You can learn more about this process in detail here.

In brief, the donor process involves 7 simple steps:

1. Fill in our online application form here
2. Complete medical history information and chat with us over the phone about what it means to be a donor
3. Visit to your nearest clinic for a sperm assessment
4. Zoom sessions with our counselling and our doctor
5. Screening health test
6. Begin donations
7. Re-screen to allow donations to be released from quarantine and then used by patients!

Here at Semovo, you must have blood and urine tests to check that your sperm does not have a negative health impact on the person who is using your sperm or the baby. We test for various STIs including HIV, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Hepatitis, as well as various genetic conditions.

In the UK, sperm donors are only anonymous to the person receiving your sperm, but this does not apply to their child, this allows the donor-conceived child an opportunity to trace their biological origins if they want to. Once they reach 18, they can contact the UK fertility regulator HFEA to access identifying information about you.

Before then, they can request access to non-identifying information when they turn 16, such as your height, weight, ethnic origins, and whether you had any genetic children when you registered. As part of the application process, you will also write a 'pen picture' in which you describe yourself and provide a goodwill message to any future children born from your donation, which is created to allow patients to select a donor from our pool of donors. 

As a potential donor, it is essential to attend a counselling session with one of our experts to answer any questions or concerns you might have.

We kindly ask our donors to donate sperm once a week, for around six to twelve months, which equals around 20-30 donations. You can do this at one of our local and accessible sperm banks, whichever is the most convenient for you.

When you apply to become a donor, you will not donate straight away. It usually takes a few weeks to go through several processes necessary for all potential donors. These processes will include screening, sperm assessment and counselling.

Once you start producing samples for donation, your sperm will be frozen and quarantined in our laboratory. You will be rescreened for any infectious diseases before your sperm is available to recipients.

Once you begin to donate, you will receive £35 compensation per visit and accrue £10. We do not refer to this as ‘payment’, but we compensate for your time, expenses and commitment as a sperm donor.

Every sperm donation you give is quality checked and then frozen in liquid nitrogen. It’s stored in our cryostore until a patient has chosen to use your sperm to have a baby. At that time, your sperm is thawed and thoroughly checked again, and finally prepared for fertility treatment.

A sperm assessment is performed in the first stages of the sperm donation process, as this allows us to check if you have the right quality sperm.

Once the sample has been produced, the Semovo laboratory team will look at your sperm under the microscope to assess the sperm count, movement and shape. For the best possible chance of a successful pregnancy, donated sperm has to be of high quality.

At Semovo, we make it easy and convenient to donate sperm. We have several local and accessible donation locations across the UK, so there’s likely to be a Semovo sperm bank near where you live or work. You can donate at any of our sperm banks, whichever is the most convenient for you. 

To become a registered sperm donor with us, you must meet the following criteria;

• To be aged between 18 and 45
• To be willing to be screened regularly for medical conditions
• To be in good health, with no known serious medical disability or family history of hereditary disorders
• To find out (or already know) your immediate family medical history
• Willing to be registered with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority as a donor
• Prepared to donate only to Semovo, regularly, which can be for several months
• Taking measures to avoid putting yourself at risk of sexually transmitted infections

We accept all applications, but they have to meet the following criteria to be considered a sperm donor.

• To be aged 18-45
• To be in good health and have no hereditary or medical conditions
• To know your family medical history
• To be happy to be registered as a sperm donor with the regulated authority HFEA.
• Have avoided putting yourself at risk of STI's

It is important to note, even then, that only a small percentage of people will successfully be able to donate their sperm.

The sperm used has to be of good quality to withstand freezing/thawing and the fertility process. Only 1 in 10 have sperm of a certain quality needed to become a sperm donor.

If we find you cannot become a sperm donor, it does not necessarily mean you are infertile. There are many reasons why this may be the case.

Find out more about sperm donation on our How it Works page.

We welcome men from all backgrounds as we do not discriminate against anyone based on their sexual orientation.

As long as you pass our medical screening, have no existing or any genetic hereditary conditions, your sperm is of the right quality, and all other criteria have been met.

We ask sperm donors to agree to only donate at Semovo and avoid putting yourself at risk of any sexually-transmitted infections.

Yes. We accept applications from all ethnicities, but all potential sperm donors must meet our criteria before becoming a sperm donor.

There is a shortage of donors from all ethnic groups in the UK; unfortunately, we sometimes have instances where we cannot meet individual preferences for a donor.

We fully respect that in some cultures, donating sperm can be considered a taboo subject. If you are interested in donating sperm but are unsure if you can because of your lifestyle or beliefs, we want to reassure you that we have a highly trained team of experts who are more than happy to talk to you with complete confidence.

We are transparent, sensitive, caring and compassionate towards our donors as we understand it can be an overwhelming process.

Unfortunately, not all men can become sperm donors with Semovo. The most common reason is because of their sperm quality but this does not necessarily mean you are infertile. Several factors can cause low sperm quality, including:

• Excessive drinking
• Smoking
• A high Body Mass Index
• Taking testosterone or anabolic steroids

If you have had a tattoo or a piercing outside the UK or at an unlicensed centre then you would need to wait 3 months before you could donate. We would also need a blood test to confirm there was no infection.

If you have had a needle stick injury in the last six months, you will need to postpone becoming a donor due to the increased risk of infection.

There are simple steps you can change to your lifestyle to improve your fertility which is known to be effective.

We would recommend:

• Not smoking, whether this is tobacco, e-cigarettes or illegal substances
• Reducing your alcohol intake - excessive drinking may harm your sperm quality
• Not taking anabolic steroids or testosterone
• Taking regular exercise
• Enjoying a balanced diet

Yes. As part of our recruitment process, we need you to know your medical history. It is essential to find out your children (if you have any), biological parents, and grandparents' medical history. We need to be sure that there is no history of hereditary diseases in your family that could affect donor-conceived children.

Sperm disorders are one of the most common causes of male infertility. There are several reasons why a patient may need donor sperm, including:

• Partner has no sperm
• Poor quality partner sperm
• To lower the risk of passing on hereditary conditions
• Same-sex couples
• Single ladies

Demand for donor sperm is increasing, but the number of donors is not rising at the same rate.

Here, at Semovo, we continue to look for new donors from all backgrounds who could help provide the greatest gift of all to someone who wants to start their journey to parenthood.

Sperm Donors in the UK can help to create a family for up to 10 individual patients. Each patient has the option to use the same sperm donor for a sibling so more than 10 children may be born from your donations.

No, when you donate at a licensed sperm bank like Semovo, you have no legal, financial or any other responsibility for any child that is born. And you are not considered as the child’s parent.

Many donors like to find out if any babies have been born as a result of their donation, as this can be the most rewarding part for some of our donors. You are entitled to know if your donated sperm has been used successfully, including the number of children that have been born, whether they are boys or girls and the year of their birth. You will not be given any information which could lead to those children being identified.

In the UK, sperm donation is voluntary, and you will not be paid for your donations. Instead you are allowed to receive compensation of up to £45 per clinic visit which is the legal limit set by our regulator the HFEA, to cover any expenses associated with donating, such as travelling to our sperm bank.

You’ll start to receive this after your medical screening and counselling, and will then get compensation every time you call in to donate. Each time you’ll be able to receive £35 of your expenses, with £10 being accrued, which can all be paid to you after your final screening when all your sperm is available for treatment use.