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Directed Sperm Donors

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directed sperm donor is a friend, a family member or someone who voluntarily donates his sperm for use in assisted reproductive procedures. Another term for directed sperm donor is known or designated donor. This individual has been personally selected by the couple or the single woman, and is not sexually intimate with the ultimate recipient of the sperm.

While the directed donor approach may not be the best choice for everyone, for many couples it is a wonderful option. Sperm Bank Inc. dba Fertility Center of California always recommends legal and psychological assistance before making this important decision to sort out potential future considerations and lay the ground work from the start. Compared to the anonymous sperm donor program, the directed donor program may have many legal, medical, social and familial issues to consider. Appropriate referrals to professional support are available upon request.

Directed sperm donors are screened similarly to anonymous or open sperm donors before they can be accepted in our program. This is done expressly for your safety and is mandated by various regulatory agencies. Sperm Bank Inc. Fertility Center of California follows each of these requirements and even does additional testing to assure safety as much as possible. Candidates must complete a thorough medical history questionnaire, undergo physical examination, semen analysis, various tests for infectious diseases and genetic screening.

Known Sperm Donor Testing

Semen samples are cryopreserved (frozen) in our laboratory and quarantined for at least six months. This assures that any infectious disease that has been aquired but was not yet identifyable would be identified at time of the repeat testing at the end of this period. By doing things in this manner, it assures us as best as possible that there is the highest level of safety for you and your new baby. When the quarantine period is over, the directed sperm donor must be re-tested for infectious diseases. All results must be negative prior to the release of vials for assisted reproduction. It is important to know that the directed donor semen sample quality may very well not meet the extremely rigorous selection criteria for anonymous donors. These criteria are way above average in an attempt to maximize success rates. Accordingly, use of directed donor sperm may have the side-effect of contributing to lower pregnancy rates.

If the directed donor is not to be satisfactory based on federal, state or other guidelines, the recipient and the physician may need to make a determination to accept the samples anyway despite labeling that states that the donor is not considered to be satisfactory by FCC. A letter from the accepting physician will be required in this instance. But after following this criteria, the process will continue with the physical examination, office consultation and infectious disease testing. Semen analysis will be optained at that visit as well.

Getting Started

Please review our information application forms and fee schedule for more information. Contact our office if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment for an initial consultation. Ideally, both the sperm donor and the recipient should be present for an initial consultation. To make your appointment most effective, please complete our sperm storage agreement and consent forms available on this website, which need to be completed for your appointment.

The Process in Detail

1. The directed donor fills out the application forms and comes in for an initial appointment. This appointment may take approximately one hour, during which a consultation, a semen analysis and intial infectious disease testing will take place. Infectious disease testing is required by law and includes: HIV-1/2, Anti-HTLV-I/II, Anti-HCV, Anti-HBc, HBsAg, RPR (syphilis), CMV (cytomegalovirus), Chlamydia Trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhea.

Additional testing may or may not be required and will be directed by Sperm Bank Inc. Fertility Center of California's Medical Director. Donor's blood type is also important and will be determined at this time. A physician will complete the physical examination and at time of the consultation the medical and social history form will be reviewed. Any concerns will be discussed at that time in a discret and private fashion.

2. The semen analysis will be evaluated and a determination as to how many samples of semen will likely be required to move forward with the directed sperm donor process. Typically, this would mean 2-3 samples for processing. Sometimes, due to the quality of the sperm, the thawing leads to lower quality than expected and more specimen will be necessary. Sometimes, the specimens are washed prior to freezing and this may result in an additional fee. Sperm washing can also lead to loss of sperm cells from the initial sample. The advantage is that the specimens are then ready to be thawed out for use at any physician's office.

3. After further evaluation of specimens any adverse results are made known to recipients and their physicians.

4. The directed donor then makes donations of semen samples at the FCC generally over about a 2-3 week time frame. Two to three days of abstincence between sample production should be maintained.

5. The specimens are frozen and kept in quarantine for 6 months following the last donation.

6. After the quarantine period, repeat testing is required and when found to be satisfactory, the specimen are released from quarantine for use by the recipient.

7. The receiving physician makes the determination of whether the samples are satisfactory and the specimens are released directly to the physician upon the request of the recipient or the physician. Appropriate fees are billed as per Sperm Bank Inc. Fertility Center of California fee schedule.

Directed Donor Fees

Directed Donor Fees
Consultation Fee	$200
Initial Screening (excludes genetic testing)	$700
Physical Exam	$200
Storage Fees
Specimen Storage per patient - Cost per month	$70
Specimen Storage - Cost 6 months	$200
Specimen Storage - Cost 1 year	$350
Specimen Storage - Cost 2 years	$625
Specimen Storage - Cost 3 years	$775
Specimen Storage - Cost 5 years	$1100
Quarantine Storage fees are the same price as for released specimen.

 

Sperm Bank Inc. Fertility Center of California has attempted to offer helpful and complete information assist you in this process. However, if you have further questions or concerns, please contact us.