Becoming a Sperm Donor
Donating sperm is an incredibly generous act. City Fertility operates a comprehensive sperm donor program, Sperm Donors Australia, to give sperm donor recipients who are unable to produce sperm or can’t use their own sperm, the opportunity to become parents.
We offer in-depth information about our sperm donor program, and our dedicated donor team can answer any questions about it and the steps involved.
Steps to Becoming a Sperm Donor
To become a sperm donor, you must register your interest using the Sperm Donors Australia registration form. This form allows us to check that you meet the initial criteria to become a donor with Sperm Donors Australia.
You will be asked to fill in a Self-assessment and medical history form. This form helps us understand your health background and is an important part of ensuring there’s minimal risk of passing on any genetic conditions. It only takes a few minutes, and a team member will review it with you over Teams to ensure it is accurate. This form will be delivered via email.
You will be asked to produce a semen sample. The scientist will analyse your sample and send the results to the City Fertility fertility specialist. Ideally, you should have 2 to 5 days of abstinence before producing your sample.
You (and your partner) will be given a request form for your tests. These tests are required as part of the routine screening process necessary to donate sperm. You (and your partner) will need to get the tests completed so the results are available at your medical check-up. You are also required to provide urine samples throughout the donation process. Any results from your medical check-up and blood tests will be given to you by your fertility specialist or fertility coordinator.
The required tests are:
- Donor: HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, Human T-lymphotropic Virus (HTLV) 1+2, cytomegalovirus (CMV), cystic fibrosis, karyotype, blood group, Fragile X syndrome (FXS), Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), thrombophilia and full blood count (FBC).
- Urine testing: chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
- Semen tests: M/C/S.
- Donor partner: HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, HTLV 1+2 and CMV.
To ensure that you are medically suitable to become a sperm donor, you will require a consultation with one of our fertility specialists. The specialist will review your test results and your medical and family history. Any results from your medical check-up and blood tests will be discussed with you, and there is no charge for this service.
It is mandatory for men who are considering donating sperm to attend two sessions (with their partners) with a nominated City Fertility counsellor. The sessions are an opportunity to receive information and have any questions about the social and legal issues surrounding sperm donation answered. The clinic will provide you with a counsellor’s contact details. This is a legal requirement, and SDA will pay for all counselling sessions.
Once all of the steps above have been completed, you can start donating. Ideally, we would like a donor to provide up to five donations. The time frame can be flexible: once or twice a week.
Semen donations must be collected at the clinic to allow the scientists to confirm the donor’s identity and process the sample within the optimal time frame. The clinic has a private collection room on-site where you can collect your sample. Samples must be produced without lubricants and collected in the sterile containers provided. A urine test is collected each time to test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea. On the date of your last donation, you must have another CMV blood test.
Sperm donations are quarantined for three months from the date of the final donation. After this period, donors are recalled for final screening, which is required before the sperm can be approved for use.
Once the donated sperm has completed its mandatory quarantine and testing period, it can be allocated to a recipient. Recipients receive a profile of their potential donor that includes non-identifying information, such as physical characteristics, cultural background, interests, education and career details.
In accordance with NHMRC ethical guidelines, recipients are also entitled to information about the donor’s medical and family history, any genetic test results relevant to the health of the child, and the number and sex of children already conceived from that donor. This ensures recipients have access to all appropriate health and background information before proceeding with treatment.
Requirements to Become a Sperm Donor
We welcome healthy donors of all backgrounds to become sperm donors if they meet these criteria:
- Aged 18-45
- No history of genetic disease or hereditary condition. Donors will not be accepted if they suffer from an illness, disease or genetic condition that poses an unacceptable risk of being passed on to any child conceived from the donation
- Have a low risk of contracting STDs and HIV/AIDS
- Can provide a family medical history
- If married or in a de facto relationship, the partner must consent to the donation.
- Clinic-recruited donors need to have a permanent residential address and need to be able to be contacted for follow-up tests. They are also required to provide three identifiers and proof of a permanent address, e.g. driver’s licence, photo ID or passport.
Non-Australian citizen clinic-recruited donors with working holiday or temporary working visas will not be accepted. Donors with temporary resident visas may be accepted if they can satisfy the above requirements.
Types of Sperm Donors
- Known donor: When the donor and recipient know each other and already have a relationship, this is known as a known donation. In this case, generally the recipient receives a donation from a friend or family member.
- Clinic-recruited donor: When the recipient and donor do not know each other and have never met, this is known as a clinic-recruited donation. The donor can choose to keep their identity unknown to the recipient; however, they must agree to provide identifying information to be revealed to a child conceived as a result of their donation once the child turns 18 or younger with counsellor approval.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sperm Donation
Donated sperm is needed by a diverse range of people for a variety of reasons, such as heterosexual couples who are incapable of falling pregnant naturally as a consequence of male infertility, which can be the result of genetic and infectious causes or physical damage. Some men are simply unable to produce sperm, making it impossible to conceive with their partner.
Our sperm donor program offers a solution for these biological barriers that can sadly prevent people from naturally conceiving. It also offers lesbian couples and single people the opportunity to have a child. We are passionate about helping every kind of family achieve their dreams of having a baby.
Donations are de-identified, so you will not know the recipient. However, Australian law also allows donor-conceived individuals to access identifying information about their donor once they reach a certain age, which varies by state. This means your identity may be shared in the future, so it is important to consider the long-term implications before proceeding.
If you choose a known donation, arrangements are agreed upon up front. Speak with a City Fertility specialist to understand your options.
No. In Australia, it is illegal to pay donors for egg or sperm donation. Donation is voluntary and altruistic. However, you will not be out of pocket, as reasonable expenses directly related to the donation process, such as travel, accommodation, and medical costs, may be reimbursed in line with guidelines.
The motivation behind your sperm donation is important to consider before making the decision to donate. These questions may be helpful to you when deciding if you wish to proceed in becoming a sperm donor:
- Why do you want to be a sperm donor?
- Do you want to know if a child is conceived from your donation?
- How will you feel about a child conceived from your donation?
- How will you feel if the child wishes to contact you?
- What should your family and friends be told?
- How is your donation likely to impact on your relationship with the recipient(s) and/or your own relationships?
If you have doubts or concerns about the consequences of becoming a sperm donor, we strongly advise that you consider these questions before finalising your decision. Our professional counsellors and fertility nurses can assist you with any items you wish to discuss before committing to becoming a sperm donor.
If you are considering becoming a sperm donor, you can feel deeply fulfilled and rewarded knowing you might help a couple or individual start a family.