If you are beginning your sperm donation journey, you are probably asking these questions: “How much does it cost to use a sperm donor? Where can I find a sperm donor? How can I get pregnant via sperm donation?
We have been helping hopeful parents find sperm donors and refining our Sperm Donor Search service for years. We know that finding a sperm donor can be difficult to navigate, and intended parents often come to us with many questions before signing up for our Sperm Donor Search service.
Our job is to walk you through every step of the process so that not only do you find a sperm donor, but you feel prepared and confident for your sperm donation journey. We are answering the top sperm donation questions below. Need more help or interested in finding a sperm donor today? Schedule a free consultation with a Donor Concierge case manager.
How much does sperm donation cost?
Sperm donation can range from under $1000 for at-home insemination to $50,000+ if you are pursuing IVF or IUI with donor sperm. This cost includes clinic fees, egg retrieval, medications, embryo creation and transfer.
How long will the sperm donor search take?
The search can take anywhere from 2-3 weeks depending on your criteria.
How many vials does a doctor require?
For IUI, it is usually recommended you purchase at least 3 vials. As you may need to do more than one IUI cycle for a successful pregnancy. For IVF, usually 1-2 vials. Extra vials are helpful to ensure you have backup if the first vial doesn’t thaw properly or if you want to do a sibling cycle in the future.
What type of vials should I purchase?
If you are doing IVF or an egg donor cycle it doesn’t matter which type of specimen you purchase. If you are planning on doing an IUI cycle then you would need to purchase ICI for home insemination or washed for IUI at your clinic.
How do I know how many children the sperm donor may have out there?
Intended parents are required to report to the cryobanks if there is a pregnancy. Once the sperm donor has created 25 pregnancies they will retire the donor.
Will I be able to see photos of my sperm donor?
Most cryobanks have at least childhood photos. There are a few that have adult photos but this is up to the sperm donor to provide.
Can I ask to see more photos of the donor?
Unfortunately, each cryobank has its own policies in regard to photographs. Once the donor has completed his donation, we cannot ask the cryobank contact the donor for additional photos.
What information is on the sperm donor profile?
The profiles contain the donor’s education background, health history for the donor and his immediate family, genetic testing results, basic physical information, open-ended essay questions, staff impressions, ancestry, and usually a photo (childhood, adult or a silhouette)
What genetic carrier statuses are available for sperm donors?
This depends on when the sperm donor had his screening done. In the last 2-3 years the cryobanks will test up to 100 to 200 carrier statuses. If the donor had his screening done prior to this they would test for Tay Sachs, Cystic Fibrosis, SMA, and Thalassemia. If the donor is of Jewish descent they will complete an Ashkenazi panel as well.
Do they verify sperm donor educational scores?
All FDA approved cryobanks are required to verify sperm donor test scores and educational background. The donor needs to provide the cryobank with transcripts.
How many sperm banks do you work with? And why do you work with them?
We only work with FDA approved cryobanks, and we work with between 10-20 sperm donor bank partners. Fertility clinics only work with sperm donors who have passed full FDA testing requirements.
Why is it important to know my CMV status?
If you are doing IUI, you must know your CMV status. If you are CMV+ you can likely use CMV+/- sperm donors. If you are CMV-, you can only use CMV- donors. If you are doing IVF, some doctors will allow you to use any CMV +/- donors. Please check with your doctor on their preference before the search.
How much is the Donor Concierge Sperm Donor Search service? What is included in your service?
Our sperm search is $3000. This is a full sweep of all of the cryobanks we work with.
Can you find a sperm donor who is open to contact with me and my child?
Yes, there are an increasing number of sperm donors now who are Open ID, which means they are open to contact when the child is a legal adult (age 18).
Can I meet the sperm donor before selecting them?
No. Sperm banks will gather non-identifying medical and personal information from sperm donors and share that information with clients. But due to privacy policies, they share that information in a way that does not identify the donors.
Do sperm donors check in with the sperm bank/clinic to update their medical history?
The sperm banks regularly reach out to past donors for confidential updates on their medical and personal information. Donors who wish to update their information contact the bank to update and they publish relevant updated information on the donor’s summary profile.
I want to find an exclusive sperm donor. Can you help?
Yes, Donor Concierge offers direct search services that can find sperm donors willing to be exclusive. Please contact us for more details.
Interested in finding your sperm donor with Donor Concierge? Schedule your free consultation today.