Overview of sperm donation
When an adult man donates his sperm that can be used for artificial reproduction by a childless couple, this process is called sperm donation. It is also called semen donation, as sperms remain in the semen secreted from the male reproductive organ. All the sperm obtained from different donors are stored in a sperm bank or sperm agency. These sperms are used through a scientific process called Intrauterine Insemination or artificial insemination, to treat infertility problems in couples.
More details about sperm donation
When a man donates his sperm, a woman can be artificially impregnated by those sperm. This man will be the biological father of the baby born through this modern procedure but he will not have any legal right to that child. However, the identity of a sperm donor is kept secret by sperm banks or agencies. Usually, donors do not have any knowledge about the children born from their sperm unless it is a private arrangement between the donor and receiver parties.
Usually, a man masturbates at the fertility clinic or sperm bank, to produce sperms that he wants to donate. Donated sperms undergo a thorough screening process, to make sure that healthy babies will be born from these sperms. Then the sperms are frozen in liquid nitrogen below the freezing point, to keep them in a good condition for a long time.
Who qualifies for sperm donation?
An adult man between the age of 18 and 39 is usually qualified as a sperm donor, the upper age limit may vary in different sperm banks. The sperm count of the donor is checked from the sample collected from him. The donor should be in good health, without any disease that can be transmitted to the next generation. The family history of the donor is also thoroughly checked to find if there was any genetic disorder among his ancestors.
Why is sperm donation conducted?
Sperm donation is a common practice now, for helping women who want to conceive without any help from their male partners. Their partners may be infertile and unable to reproduce, which problem can be solved by artificial insemination with donated sperm. Some women fail to conceive naturally, due to problems in their cervix and the donated sperm is passed directly into their uterus to meet their eggs.
Benefits of sperm donation
- More chances to get healthy babies from tested sperms
- Sperm donors receive satisfactory payment for each donation from sperm banks
- Helps a woman conceive even without a male partner
- Gives satisfaction that the donor is helping someone in achieving parenthood
- If the donor has any unknown health problem, it may be detected in the sperm screening process
Risks involved in sperm donation procedure
Sperm donation is safe for the donor. So, there is no risk involved in this procedure at all. However, the receiver of the donated sperm may experience mild bleeding and infection during the Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) process. Multiple pregnancies can be another risk factor, which may be caused due to the action of medicines taken during the ovulation period.
Conclusion
Therefore, sperm donation is very popular among women who are desperate for giving birth to a baby. Many healthy males now prefer to donate their sperm as a generous act done for childless people.
Request an appointment at
Apollo Fertility, Amritsar
Call 1860-500-4424 to book an appointment
You need to go through a health checkup to make sure that you are fit for sperm donation. Moreover, you should stay away from ejaculating your sperm for at least 2 days before the donation, to keep your sperm count to a maximum limit.
The donated sperms undergo cryopreservation or a deep freezing process after the initial screening. Thus, these sperms remain in good condition without being damaged for many years if not used for artificial insemination.
No, sperms are frozen in vials containing liquid nitrogen, under the freezing point. So, these sperms can be used safely even after many years. Babies born from these sperms are as healthy as other kids born from normal couples.
When a man is qualified to be a healthy sperm donor, he can donate his sperm at least once a week. Some men also like to donate their sperm twice or thrice a week if they have a high sperm count.
No, the identity of a sperm donor and the receiver are strictly concealed by sperm banks, which is essential for the privacy of both parties. Thus, a donor can never know about the children born from his sperm.
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