All You Need To Know About Sperm Donation

According to a new survey, sperm donation is an easy source of income for a number of young American males. Besides paying well to the donors, the procedure also enable childless families to enjoy the blessings of parenthood.  According to a study reported in the National Journal of Andrology (1), investigators suggested that approximately 48.1% donors are students.

Sperm donation can be compared to a highly competitive market. Since the number of potential sperm donors (or guys who are interested in making money by masturbation) is fairly high, therefore most sperm banks have a certain eligibility criteria for sperms and sperm donors.

If you are looking to donate your sperms; here is what you should know.

Sperm Donation – How To Get Started?

It is pretty evident that sperm donation is a pretty rigorous process (both physically and emotionally). This is mainly because, a potential sperm donor undergoes extensive screening in order to get qualified for hefty compensation (to do something that other people do just for fun). The sperm donation process can be explained in 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Looking for a sperm bank in your vicinity is definitely the first step as most sperm banks prefer donors who live in the vicinity (up to 1 hour driving distance at the most). You can also apply online for preliminary screening and other information regarding selection criteria.

Step 2: Once your application is approved, you would be called in for a “test donation” to assess the quality of sample. Most sperm bank look for individuals with super-sperms (for obvious reasons). This is often challenging because masturbation reduces the percentage of viable sperms by 50-60% when compared to a regular sexual intercourse. If the initial test is approved, you are called in for an interview with Donor Coordinator. In this interview, your answers and queries regarding the procedure are cleared and essentials and requirements of the procedure are explained. You may be asked to hand in another semen sample for evaluation.

Step 3: If everything goes smooth, the lab expects you to schedule an appointment at least once a week to donate your sperms. You will also be tested and screened for extensive medical and family history before a formal contract is signed and other terms & conditions are set (such as duration of the contract, compensation and frequency of sampling).

Factors That Make You An Ideal Sperm Donor

• Ideal age for sperm donors should be between 20-39 years (the range may vary, depending upon the preferences of different sperm banks).
• Most sperm banks require the participants to sign a contract or commitment (for a period of at least 6-12 months).
• You should be able to provide satisfactory medical and family (biological) history, at times up to 4 generations from both maternal and paternal side.
• You have a college degree (or you are enrolled in college).
• You don’t have any chronic medical condition or health issue.
• You should prepare yourself to answer questions on your personal and sexual life.
• It is mandatory to undergo frequent blood and urine works, as well as biannual physical examinations (which are usually paid for by the sperm bank itself) throughout the period of contract.

What Are Some Factors That May Make You A Less Desirable Sperm Donor?

• Any individual who is exposed to or suffering from an infectious illness such as HTLV, syphilis, hepatitis B, HIV, genital herpes, hepatitis C, or genital warts are generally rejected for obvious reasons.
• Certain health issues (even food allergies in some case) can make you a less desirable candidate for sperm donation.
• Most sperm banks accept white Caucasian donors (sine most recipients are whites). In fact, some banks even have restrictions for hair and eye color. For example, if you are a redhead or have other pigment related issues, you may be disqualified.
• Most sperm banks have a requirement for height and other parameters (for example, a height over 5’8’’ is generally preferred – the cut-off value varies).

Based on the data obtained from 1145 recruits, only 14.4% recruits pass the rigorous screening process (1).

Sperm Donation FAQs

How Frequently Can I donate Sperms?

The terms and conditions may vary, but ideally you can donate at least one sample per week (or maximum two samples per week). It is highly recommended to maintain abstinence for at least 3 days prior to your weekly appointment. An abstinence of more than 4 days is generally not recommended.

Do I Get Compensated For Sperm Donation?

Yes, your compensation may be bi-weekly or monthly; depending on the terms and conditions as well as number of acceptable semen samples. Some sperm banks may hold your money in an Escrow account for the duration of the contract (generally six months) after checking and clearing that your sperms are viable and still free from diseases.

Do I have To Be Anonymous?

You can choose to stay anonymous (closed donor) or open donor. If you choose to reveal your information, you should know that the recipient (and their child) may contact you in future.

Is There A Fixed Number Of Kids That Will Be Born From My Semen/ Sperms?

Most banks adopt a strict policy in making sure that only a certain number of kids are born with your sperms (you can always have that on paper/ contract). This is important because, it is likely that recipient of your sperms also live in the same geographical location and down the road you may uncork accidental cases of incest.

References

1. Guan, H. T., Wang, Z., Meng, T. Q., Xia, W., Xiong, C. L., & Li, C. L. (2014).

Zhonghua nan ke xue= National journal of andrology, 20(2), 124-128.

2. Van den Broeck, U., Vandermeeren, M., Vanderschueren, D., Enzlin, P., Demyttenaere, K., & D'Hooghe, T. (2012). A systematic review of sperm donors: demographic characteristics, attitudes, motives and experiences of the process of sperm donation. Human reproduction update, dms039.

3. Rosen, A. B., & Rosenzweig, L. (2013). Fertility Preservation in Male Cancer Patients: Psychosocial issues surrounding the use of sperm donation.