Looking for a Sperm Donor — whether for free or in exchange for money — helps couples and individuals to conceive every day in the UK. If you are looking for a sperm donor, this guide covers all your options: fertility clinics, sperm banks, known donors and online platforms.
Those in need of a donation have different profiles. They can be couples experiencing fertility issues, lesbian couples or singles who wish to have a baby on their own.
Looking for a Sperm Donor in the UK: Your Options
If you are looking for a sperm donor, you have different options. You can, for instance, select a UK paid sperm donor from a fertility clinic. One of the advantages of choosing this channel is that their donors undergo all sorts of tests to ensure that they are free of any infectious or sexually transmitted diseases, that they won’t pass on any genetic disorders and that their sperm is healthy.
Additionally, certain sperm banks allow you to find your donor using a dedicated smartphone application that sends you alerts as soon as new donors are available. For a full comparison of prices and services, read our guide on sperm bank prices in London.
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If you prefer, you can also opt for someone you know to be your donor — for example, a friend. One of the pros of choosing a known donor is that you already know their personality and physical appearance. You may also know their family, which can give you a clearer view of their medical history and common inherited traits.
Another idea when looking for a sperm donor is to use a dedicated website. Register, briefly explain your search, browse profiles and look for sperm donors that match your criteria. Many women prefer to have a child via a known donor, so that they can find out more about their donor’s personality and medical history.
Some couples and single women purchase sperm online via a website such as Cryos, based in Denmark. This online sperm bank delivers all over Europe, UK included. Once ordered, the frozen sperm is delivered to clinics and recipients can then use the donor sperm to perform an at-home insemination.
Required and Recommended Screenings
A sperm donor should undergo all sorts of tests before the recipients make use of the donated sperm. If you’re choosing a known donor, make sure that they carry out all the necessary screenings. It’s essential to ensure that you and your future baby stay safe, as well as to improve your chances of becoming pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy. For a full list of required tests, read our article on what tests a sperm donor should take.
Sperm Count and Quality
To increase your odds of conceiving, make sure that your donor tests his sperm count and quality. Sperm count is considered low when under 15 million sperm per millilitre. Sperm motility, velocity, size, shape and total volume should also be screened during the analysis.
Genetic Diseases
Genetic disorders are the consequence of anomalies in the DNA. Genetic testing should check for Thalassemia, Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Anaemia and Tay Sachs disease. According to the NHS, genetic testing is recommended for anyone with a family history of inherited conditions.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
When looking for a sperm donor online, ensure that they are not suffering from any STDs, including Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and Chlamydia. Sexually transmitted diseases can be passed on to the pregnant woman and her baby.
Infectious Diseases
A man suffering from infectious diseases should not donate his sperm. Every donor should be tested for infectious diseases such as Hepatitis and HIV before the donation. HIV testing is free on the NHS and can be done quickly and confidentially.
Are Sperm Donors from UK Fertility Clinics Anonymous?
Those who donate sperm in sperm banks or fertility clinics don’t stay anonymous forever in the UK. People conceived after April 2005 are entitled to ask for non-identifying information about their donor from the HFEA. They are also entitled to know about any donor-conceived genetic siblings once they turn 16.
At 16, children conceived after April 2005 can obtain information such as the donor’s birth country and year, physical traits, ethnicity, medical history and whether the donor has other children. At 18, they can access identifying information including the donor’s name, birth date and last known address.
When they reach the age of 18, those conceived via sperm donation are able to request identifying information about their donor. However, this doesn’t mean that donors can be considered financially responsible for the children who are the result of their donation. For more on how donor-conceived children feel about this, read our article on how children feel about being donor conceived.
Can Private UK Donors Be Anonymous?
If you choose a private donor, you and your donor can decide whether they will remain anonymous or not. If anonymity is what you agree on, the sperm donor won’t be involved in your child’s life and won’t help you financially. However, it’s important to bear in mind that in the UK the recipient of a sperm donation can take their known donor to court and have them declared the child’s legal father, thus obliging them to pay child maintenance. This doesn’t apply to lesbian couples involved in a civil partnership or marriage who have made use of sperm donation.
Make sure that you agree on this issue before you start the donation process. If both parties want the donor to have a role in the child’s upbringing or share parental responsibilities, they could choose to become co-parents. Read our Co-parenting Guide to find out more about this arrangement.
Looking for a Sperm Donor? Find Out More
You can find many free donor websites online. Sperm donation forums, guides and blogs can help you obtain more information about how to donate sperm, how to find a donor and the donation process in general. Start your search today on CoParents.co.uk and connect with verified donors across the UK.