GCRM-BELFAST: Clinical Manual: INF-Clin032-20160920
SPERM DONATION
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Thank you for expressing an interest in becoming a sperm donor. If, after reading all the
information, you have further questions, please feel free to contact us.
The use of donor sperm as a fertility treatment addresses a major problem. For many
years there has been a relative shortage of donor sperm available for couples where the
male partner has significant fertility problems or is a carrier of a serious genetic
condition.
Who can become a sperm donor?
Sperm donors must be between the ages of 18 and 45 years, should be fit and healthy,
and they and their families should be free from any serious medical condition or genetic
disease. The sperm donor must also test negative for certain infectious diseases and
have certain genetic analyses performed.
Anonymity
With a growing awareness of how important it is for some donor-conceived people to find
out more about their genetic origins, the Government lifted anonymity for donors in April
2005. This means that anyone conceived using donated sperm will be allowed to ask the
HFEA for identifying information about the donor when they reach the age of 16/18. It is
important to note however that the donor of sperm is NOT the legal parent and you will
not be financially or emotionally liable for the upbringing of any child created using your
sperm.
Financial reimbursement
Sperm donors will be compensated £35 (includes expenses) per visit to the clinic.
Payment would be at the end of the donation process unless requested otherwise.
Counselling
Counselling is mandatory prior to you becoming a sperm donor: this is to ensure that you
have no doubts about being a sperm donor and are fully aware of the implications this
may have on you and your family in the long term.
What is involved in becoming A Sperm Donor?
1.
Initial Appointment with Embryologist
At this informal visit we would explain to you what is involved in becoming a sperm donor
and outline the number of visits that you would be expected to make.
A semen sample should be produced for the embryologist to analyse and also assess its
suitability for freezing and thawing. Sometimes these results will be borderline and you
may be asked to provide another sample within a few days or indeed be rejected as a
donor at this stage. Please be aware that rejection as a sperm donor does not mean
that you are unable to have children. Indeed many men who are rejected as donors
already have children themselves. If however your semen analysis result indicates to us
that there may be a major problem we will inform you of this.
Authorised by: Dr. A I Traub – Responsible Person (RQIA)
GCRM-BELFAST: Clinical Manual: INF-Clin032-20160920
2.
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Return Appointment with Doctor
A full medical history would be taken at this visit and the Doctor would do a physical
examination.
You will have blood taken to check for Hepatitis B Surface Antigen, Hepatitis B Core
Antibody, Hepatitis C, HIV, HTLV1&2, Syphilis, Cytomegalovirus, Cystic Fibrosis, CMV &
Blood Grouping. A urine sample would be sent for screening for Chlamydia and
Gonorrhoea infection. You may require additional tests performed depending on your
ethnic origin.
You will be asked to complete the appropriate consent forms and registration
documents, as well as a medical questionnaire. All of these are required to enable you to
become a sperm donor.
We would contact you when the results are available and, assuming satisfactory results,
would arrange an appointment for your first donation.
3.
Donation of sperm
Samples would be produced and stored either weekly for approximately 12 weeks, or
twice weekly for 6 weeks.
4.
Final appointments
You would be asked to attend and provide us with a blood and urine sample 1 month
after your final semen sample was produced and stored. This allows us to repeat the
screening tests for Syphilis, Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, Hepatitis C screening, CMV,
Hepatitis B NAT test, HIV NAT test and HTLV 1&2. At this appointment the Dr will carry
out another review of your medical history and perform a final physical examination.
Payment for donation expenses are given at this stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
The HFEA provides very useful information for people who are considering becoming
donors. The following FAQs have been selected from the HFEA website;
After I donate, can I find out if my donation has been used?
You can contact the clinic where you donated, and they will be able to let you know if
any children were born from your donation, how many, their genders and the year of
their birth(s). They will not give you any information that may lead to the identification of
anyone involved.
What if I change my mind about donating?
When you donate, the law requires you to give your written consent to your sperm being
used in treatment. You can change, or withdraw, your consent at any time up to the
point at which your sperm (or any embryos created from your sperm) are transferred to
the person being treated.
Authorised by: Dr. A I Traub – Responsible Person (RQIA)
GCRM-BELFAST: Clinical Manual: INF-Clin032-20160920
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Do I have any rights or responsibilities towards a child created from my donation?
Not if you donate through an HFEA-licensed clinic, which must conform to strict medical,
legal and ethical standards. This ensures that everyone involved in the donation process
is clear about their legal position and is protected by the law. You will have no legal
obligation to any child created from your donation - you will not be their legal parent and
you will not be named on the birth certificate. Neither do you have any rights over how
the child will be brought up, and you will not be asked to support the child
financially. You will be asked to provide information about yourself, which, a child born
from your donation can access when they are 18 years old.
What information about me, can a child conceived using my gametes obtain from
the HFEA?
Donor-conceived people, conceived after 1 April 2005, may, when they reach 16 years
of age, apply to the HFEA to receive the non-identifying information that their donor
provided (all information given by the donor except for their name and last-known
address).
The information that could be provided includes: your physical description, year and
country of your birth, your ethnicity, if you had children at the time of your donation
(including how many and their gender), your marital status, your medical history, a
goodwill message. Please note that any identifying information in the donor goodwill
message and pen profile will be redacted.
Donor-conceived people conceived after 1 April 2005, when they reach 18 years old are
able to apply to the HFEA to find the information that their donor provided, including
identifying information.
For more information please visit www.hfea.gov.uk, and click on the tab labelled “Donors
donating for treatment and research” for more information and support.
Where can I go for more advice about donation?
Your decision to donate sperm is an important one, with life-long implications. There are
many issues to consider, and some of them are complicated. There are a number of
organisations which can provide further information about the issues involved. You may
also wish to discuss donating with the counsellor at the clinic where you are donating, as
they will have experience in helping you explore the implications of your decision, for the
present and in the future.
Helpful organisations include:
The National Gamete Donation Trust
Donor Conception Network
Further information and contact
This information sheet is intended as a guide and full details will be provided as you
progress, and please feel free to ask for more information.
Your consideration of becoming a sperm donor at GCRM-BELFAST is greatly
appreciated.
Please feel free to contact us on 028 9078 1335 if you have any queries.
Authorised by: Dr. A I Traub – Responsible Person (RQIA)