Sperm donation is an option for couples with male factor infertility, single women, and lesbian couples. Donor sperm can be used with artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization (IVF), or it may be possible to do home insemination. Donor sperm can come from a known friend or relative, or from a sperm bank.
Factors to Consider when Choosing a Donor
The decision on what donor to use is extremely personal. Some factors to consider are:
- Appearance, education, and interests
- Will he agree to release identifying information when the child is 18? (Some donor-conceived people feel the strong need to know information about their donor and increasingly parents are seeking to provide this option to their donor-conceived children.)
- Are photos available? Childhood? Adult?
- Blood type. Some parents want the donor’s blood type to match the intended father’s blood type for confidentiality reasons. The donor’s blood type may be important to consider if the mother is Rh negative (Rh-).
- How many pregnancies have resulted from his sperm? Some sperm banks limit the number of pregnancies allowed, but if not, some parents want to set limits.
Cost of Sperm Donation
Costs vary from approximately $250-$1,200 per sample depending on many factors including:
- Preparation of the sperm for either intracervical insemination, intrauterine insemination (IUI), or IVF.
- Fees for donor sperm are usually slightly higher for a donor that agrees to release identifying information.
- How many “extras” you want such as photos, audio interviews, personality testing, genetic tests beyond the standard, etc.
Becoming a Single Mom Through Donor Sperm.
Creating a Family has extensive resources to educated and support single women choosing to become a mother through sperm donation (or adoption). Some we think you’ll find particularly useful are:
- Single Parenthood by Choice (1 hr. radio interview with experts)
- Top Ten Tips for Choosing an Egg or Sperm Donor (fact sheet)
- Will You Tell Anyone You Used Egg, Sperm, or Embryo Donation (blog post)
- Tips for Finding Male Role Models for Single Moms & Lesbian Couples (fact sheet)
Creating a Family has many additional resources specific to the topic of Sperm Donation. Some we think you will find particularly helpful are:
- Why Should Donor-Conceived Families Be Publicly Embarrassed? (article)
- Current Trends in 3rd Party Reproduction (1 hr. podcast w/ expert)
- When to Consider Sperm or Egg Donation (1 hr. podcast w/ expert)
- Home Insemination with Donor Sperm (1 hr. podcast w/ expert)
- Suggested Books for Kids Conceived Through Sperm Donation
Many more Creating a Family radio shows with experts, videos, blogs, fact sheets, and Q and A’s with Experts on using donor sperm can be found at the icons below.
Sources: Creating a Family Radio shows below
Image credit: Spike Walker. Wellcome Images
Additional Resources
Creating a Family Radio Shows on Sperm Donation
Creating a Family Blogs on Sperm Donation
Creating a Family Factsheets, Tips on Sperm Donation
Creating a Family Videos on Sperm Donation
Q and A's with Experts on Sperm Donation