Using donor sperm

Known donor

A known donor is someone with whom you have an existing relationship and who has agreed to donate their sperm. This could be a friend, relative or family member.    

Clinic-recruited donor

When a donor voluntarily donates their sperm to an unknown recipient, this is called a clinic recruited donation. Clinic recruited sperm donors have undertaken counselling and fully understand the legalities and implications of being a donor.  You can also rest assured knowing the quality of the sperm has been thoroughly checked. This includes medical screenings to exclude transmittable and genetic diseases, including a three-month quarantine for sperm donation. A limit is also placed on the offspring that can result from each donor.  

Clinic recruited sperm donors have undertaken counselling and fully understand the legalities and implications of being a donor.  You can also rest assured knowing the quality of the sperm has been thoroughly checked. This includes medical screenings to exclude transmittable and genetic diseases, including a three-month quarantine for sperm donation. A limit is also placed on the offspring that result from each donor.  

Individuals of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds are welcome to become sperm donors if they meet these criteria:

• Aged 18-45.
• Healthy with no history of genetic disease. Donors will not be accepted if they suffer from an illness, disease or inherited condition that can be passed on to a child conceived from their donation.
• Low risk for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.
• Able to provide a family medical history.
• If married or in a de facto relationship, the partner must consent to the donation.
• Clinic-recruited donors must have a permanent address and be contactable for follow-up tests. They must be able to provide three identifiers and proof of permanent address (driver’s license, photo ID and passport).
• A lifestyle declaration must be signed.

Clinic-recruited sperm donors with a student, working holiday or temporary working visas will not be accepted to the program. Donors with temporary resident visas may be accepted to the program if they meet the above requirements

Donor Insemination (DI)

Donor  Insemination using donated sperm  is a fertility procedure in which treated sperm is inserted into a recipient’s  uterus directly, to increase the possibility of conceiving

Donor insemination involves the use of frozen sperm from a donor. The method of artificial insemination most commonly used is Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI).

In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)

In Vitro Fertilisation  involves the fertilisation of the egg by the donated sperm in an incubator outside the body, before the embryo is transferred back into the recipient’s uterus.

Your specialist will discuss your IVF treatment cycle with you. The treatment type usually depends on an individual’s medical history,  age, diagnosis and other related fertility factors.

A three month quarantine period applies to all clinic recruited sperm donors.

All sperm donors are tested for infectious diseases before donations commence. It is compulsory that the donated sperm from a known donor is stored for a quarantine period of three months before release for use by the recipient.

At the end of the quarantine period, all sperm donors are rechecked for the following transmissible viruses:

• HIV
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C.
• Syphilis
• HTLV 1+2
• CMV
• Gonorrhoea
• Chlamydia

These questions may be helpful to you when deciding if you wish to proceed:

• If you are in a relationship, what are your feelings about creating a family where only one partner will be a genetic parent?
• How do you feel about parenting a child with whom you have no genetic link (if both donors, egg and sperm, are used)?
• What are your feelings about being a single parent if you are undergoing treatment on your own?
• If you are in a relationship, do both partners agree to use donated sperm?
• How do you feel about the loss of fertility – has there been enough time to go through the grieving process?
• What if the treatment outcome is unsuccessful? What impact will it have on you (and your partner if applicable)?
• What about the possible offspring – do they have the right to know? What if they wish to contact the donor?
• Who needs to know about this (family, friends, work, etc.)?

City Fertility encourages all individuals/couples to seek independent legal advice before attending the donor program. Please visit our Legalities and Requirements page for more information.