​ARE YOU FIT FOR SPERM DONATION?

Many men are embarking upon a New Year health kick this month – but are you actually fit and healthy enough to be a sperm donor?

Your lifestyle can affect your sperm quality, whether you want to be a sperm donor or even conceive naturally and have a baby yourself. Your own health does matter when you donate sperm – poor health and therefore poor sperm quality is why many men are rejected as sperm donors despite the UK ‘shortage’ of donor sperm.

So which aspects of your lifestyle and health exactly matter when you want to donate sperm with Semovo, and which don’t?

Your sexuality

You can donate sperm regardless of your sexuality. At Semovo we don’t discriminate and welcome sperm donors from across the heterosexual and same-sex community. All Semovo sperm donors have exactly the same screening, no matter what their sexual preference.

Whether you’ve had children already

If you’re already a father, there’s nothing stopping you helping others to have children as well. Or even if you’ve not had children yet. As long as you meet the age and health criteria – you must be aged 18-45 to donate sperm - you could be a sperm donor with Semovo.

Your ethnicity

We always need sperm donors from all ethnic backgrounds. Infertility can affect anyone, and many people affected by fertility problems wish to find a sperm donor who shares the same ethnic background as they do. You could genuinely be the sperm donor someone has been waiting for.

Whether you smoke or drink excessively

Smoking and drinking is not only damaging to your health, it may affect the quality of your sperm. Whilst we don’t stipulate that our sperm donors abstain from alcohol or smoking, we’ll be able to identify if your intake has affected your sperm through your initial screening tests which include semen analysis. This involves us examining how well your sperm moves, its shape and your sperm count in our laboratory, including sperm DNA testing.

Whether you have tattoos or piercings

There may be a risk of infections if you’ve had any tattoos or piercings in the past six months, so if you want to donate sperm you’ll have to postpone applying to us until it’s been longer than six months since your cosmetic enhancement.

Whether you practise safe sex

As a Semovo sperm donor you have to agree to protect yourself from the risk of STIs during your time as a sperm donor with us. Your initial screening tests for common STIs and diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis, and you’ll be re-screened before your sperm is actually released for use by patients who need donor sperm to have a baby.

Your weight

Being significantly overweight affects your fertility, so your BMI could prevent you from being a sperm donor because of how it affects your sperm quality. Studies have shown that obesity can affect sperm motility - how well your sperm moves - with a higher risk of sperm DNA damage. A high BMI can also affect sperm count.

Your age

Your age could mean that you can’t donate sperm, even though you may have had children already. Male fertility decreases with age just as a woman’s does, and it’s why we have an age limit of 45 for all Semovo sperm donors.

Sperm donation: find out more

If you’re interested in sperm donation and would like to find out more, read our sperm donation FAQs and the process of sperm donation. With regional donation clinics throughout the UK, we have local Semovo sperm donation locations convenient for you in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and soon London, Glasgow and Birmingham.

Speak to our friendly team on 0345 266 1272.