Finding a sperm donor may be your next step towards creating embryos—a pivotal moment in your IVF or surrogacy journey.
If you’re in need of a sperm donor, this guide will help you navigate the process so that you can have your family sooner. If you’re not yet working with a fertility clinic, contact us today and we can connect you with one from our network of professionals.
How to Find a Sperm Donor for Surrogacy
There are two main ways to find a sperm donor: through a sperm bank, or through someone you know—known as "directed donation", also referred to as a "known donation."
Finding a Sperm Donor through a Bank
You can find a sperm donor online when you look at sperm donation websites. To find the best sperm bank, you can look at their screening process, seek out reviews, and in some cases you can view sperm bank donor profiles. Once you are connected to a bank, you can get help finding a sperm donor who fits your needs.
Why would someone choose to find a donor through a sperm bank? It's actually the most common way to find a sperm donor.
- Finding a sperm donor through a bank can be faster and more efficient.
- Since sperm banks have many donors that have already donated, it can mean you will spend less time seeking out people who might be willing to be a sperm donor, and more time considering the pros and cons of each person.
- Great sperm banks will also have many of the necessary screenings done before you inquire, so you won’t need to wait to have them done.
Finding a Directed Donor
A direct donor is someone you know or find yourself rather than someone who was screened to donate through a sperm bank. The main benefit to this route is that you may know the donor more closely — this can mean that you may be able to continue to have this person in your child’s life at some capacity if you prefer that, and it may also be more comfortable to rely on your personal connection rather than the screening done at a sperm bank.
The downsides are that it may be difficult to find someone you know personally, and in some cases, it may be preferable that your child’s sperm donor is not involved regularly in your child’s life. You may end up spending more time and money looking yourself or advertising yourself. You also may be responsible for more of the screening and coordination yourself.
Some people have chosen directed donors historically because of the personal insight into ethnicity and heritage and the direct access to medical history, but sperm banks increasingly collect and share this information with intended parents.
Sperm Donor Screening
Screening is an important part of finding a sperm donor for your embryo. If you use a sperm bank, some screening will be done for you, while finding a direct donor means that you will likely be responsible for more of the screening process yourself.
If you choose a sperm bank, you can ask what screening is done for you and compare screening among sperm banks. If you are using a direct donor, you can ask your fertility clinic about medical screening, and contact a legal professional to establish an agreement with the donor.
Most good sperm banks are very thorough, but you may need to request a special test if you are concerned about a highly specific genetic condition.
What to Look for in a Sperm Donor
If you are working with a sperm bank, you will likely have some guidance and pre-screening before you look at sperm donors, but here are some of the things you can look for whether you are seeking a direct donor or someone through a sperm bank:
- Physical traits
- Blood type
- Medical history
- Personality
- Education
How to Choose the Best Sperm Bank
Your fertility clinic may be able to help you find a sperm bank, or you may be able to find one on your own. If you look for a sperm bank on your own you can look for banks that have:
- Thorough screening for donors
- A diverse donor database
- A history of success
As you are finding a sperm donor and creating an embryo, our specialists can help you prepare for surrogacy when you fill out our simple form.
FAQ
How to find a good sperm donor?
You can find a good sperm donor through a reputable sperm bank or find a direct donor—someone who you know personally. Screening either through a sperm bank or through your fertility clinic can help you make sure that the sperm donor is a good match.
How to get pregnant sperm donor?
To get pregnant with a sperm donor, you can use IVF or IUI— in IVF (in vitro fertilization), the sperm and egg are joined in a lab environment to make an embryo, and after 3-5 days or so of development, the embryo is transferred to the uterus through a medical procedure. In IUI (intrauterine insemination) the sperm is inserted directly into the uterus at the time of ovulation
How hard is it to get a sperm donor?
When you use a sperm bank, finding a sperm donor can be simple. Sperm banks typically have several options of donors to choose from, and the sperm has already been screened and collected before you reach out, which means that you can get access to a sperm donation quickly and simply.