Donor sperm recipients – what we offer
For many seeking fertility treatments, sperm donation may be required. Below follows some information to be considered.
There are two options for choosing a donor and these are outlined below.
An anonymous donor – These are men who have donated their sperm altruistically in the hope of giving someone the opportunity to have a family. Anonymous sperm donor samples can be found from sperm banks based both in the UK and overseas. It is important that these banks adhere to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s (HFEA) guidelines and the samples can be used for UK fertility treatments. If you opt for an anonymous donor, it is important to understand that the donor will be identifiable. This means that from the age of 18 years old any donor-conceived child can access identifying information about their sperm donor including full name, date and town of birth, as well as their last known address.
Here is the HFEA guidance on the use of donor sperm:
It is important to consider, however, that with the rise of commercial DNA ancestry kits, donor-conceived children may identify sperm donors more easily, as these tests can reveal biological connections beyond traditional channels. The accessibility of genetic information through these kits has reshaped the landscape of donor identification for individuals seeking insights into their heritage.
A known donor – Sperm is donated by someone you know personally and is specifically for your treatment only. This can be a friend, or a family member who would like to help you create a family (as long as the person providing the egg for the treatment and the donor sperm provider are not genetically related).
Screening – It’s important to note that all fertility clinics and sperm banks licensed by the HFEA follow the same screening regulations and must fully screen both anonymous sperm donors and known sperm donors in the same way. To ensure that the donor sperm samples are safe to use, these are screened for infections such as chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhoea, hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV. Additionally to these, certain genetic disorders are also screened for. Donated sperm samples need to be quarantined for a minimum of three months after which they are retested.
Legal parenthood rights – It’s paramount that you understand your legal rights with regards to parenthood.
If you are using donated sperm in the UK, you will be the legal parent and the donor will not:
– Be the legal parent to your child
– Have any legal rights or obligation to the child
– Be named on the birth certificate
– Be required to support the child financially
If you have a partner, and are married or in a civil partnership, you will both become the legal parent to the child. However, if you are not married or in a civil partnership, there will be a set of consent forms that need completing prior to the treatment for your partner to then become the legal parent to the child.’
We will ensure that all the correct consents are completed for the treatments and fully explained in a treatment consultation appointment. However, please click here to read the HFEA guidance on ‘Becoming the legal parents of your child’ for further information.
Counselling is an integral part of any of our treatments. Prior to using donor sperm, we will ask you to have an ‘implications counselling’ session with one of our BICA accredited counsellors. The purpose of this is to explore with you all the important aspects of having donor-conceived children, now and for the future. During this appointment you will discuss the emotional and legal implications of sperm donation treatment, the role of – and information available from – the HFEA, and ways to access further information and support.