​FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BEING A SPERM DONOR

Becoming a sperm donor is one of the greatest, most selfless things you can ever do. By donating your sperm, you’re giving someone the hope of a child they wouldn’t otherwise be able to have.

But there are a lot of misconceptions and myths around sperm donation – so here are five things you should know about being a sperm donor, to help you decide if it’s right for you:

You can find out if your donated sperm has been used successfully

The most rewarding part about being a sperm donor is finding out if a baby has been born thanks to you. Many men like to know what’s going to happen to their sperm once donated, so if you’d like to know, you can request information from our team such as if someone is using your sperm, and whether fertility treatment has worked for them. You can also request to find out the year of the baby’s birth, and its gender.

Your sperm can only be used to create a maximum of 10 families, although there’s no limit within each of these families. This is to give people the chance to use your sperm again if they want to extend their family using the same donor.

You can’t be an anonymous sperm donor – but you’re not legally liable for any child you help to create

Some guys think that when you donate sperm through a licensed clinic, because you have to agree to be identifiable to the child you help to create, this goes hand in hand with being responsible too.

Some men think that you have to pay child support, or are expected to form a relationship with those you’ve helped to be born.

But although you’re identifiable, you’re not liable – not legally, morally or financially – when you donate to a licensed clinic like Semovo.

Donor anonymity was removed simply to give people born with the help of sperm (and egg) donors the chance to know their biological origins. They’re able to apply to the HFEA for details about you when they turn 18 years of age, but it’s entirely their choice whether to get in touch with you. Some sperm donors may never be contacted.

We’ll make all of this clear to you when you apply to be a sperm donor with Semovo. The counselling sessions you’re given as part of the sperm donation process are designed to ensure you know exactly what your rights are, what the rights are of your recipients and any child they have. So you’re fully prepared, reassured and can proceed with confidence.

You get to write an amazing self-profile

Your sperm donor profile is one of the most important parts of the donation process; it’s what fertility clinic patients will use to decide if you’re the sperm donor for them. And at Semovo we help all of our sperm donors to write fantastic and detailed sperm donor profiles that go beyond just the basics.

Many of our sperm donors like to explain their motivations for donating in their profile, what their hopes are for the people who use their sperm, and even a goodwill message for them and any child born.

And whilst your profile contains details such as your height, weight, hair colour and eye colour, there’s nothing that could identify you including photos of any kind. Anonymity remains intact between sperm donor and recipient, so the people who use your sperm will never know who you are or be able to ‘track you down’.

Being accepted as a sperm donor means your sperm is exceptional

If you’re accepted as a Semovo sperm donor, congratulations! It means you have super sperm. Not every man can be a sperm donor, even if there’s proven fertility through existing children.

To donate, you need to have exceptional sperm and plenty of it. Sperm that’s capable of withstanding all the processes of fertility treatment, including freezing and thawing – not just sperm that can naturally fertilise an egg.

We’ll need you to donate regularly to us, for a number of months, so we can build up a big enough supply of your quality sperm for all the patients that may choose you.

This need for frequent clinic visits is why we have regional donation centres throughout the UK, so our sperm donors are always near a clinic making it easy and convenient to pop in when it suits. Semovo clinics are in Liverpool, Manchester and soon Leeds, with Birmingham, London and Glasgow also opening soon.

You don’t get ‘paid’ but you do get expenses

Sperm donors in the UK aren’t allowed to get paid for their sperm, to make sure sperm donation remains an altruistic choice and not something done purely to make money.

But we are allowed to compensate you for your time and any expenses you incur, so you’ll receive £45 per clinic visit. This amount is set by the HFEA and applies to every licensed clinic in the UK, no matter which clinic you donate to.

If you’d like to find out if you could be a Semovo sperm donor, apply online to join us. We’ll review your application and get back to you. You can also read more about the sperm donation process, and common sperm donation FAQs.

If you need more help or want to ask a question, just call us on 0345 266 1272 or email donate@semovo.co.uk