How to Be a Sperm Donor?

Qualified sperm donors are always in demand for sperm banks around the country. Couples struggling to conceive, single parents, same-sex couples, and co-parents all need sperm donations in order to make a baby. If you’re interested and want to donate sperm, make sure you understand everything that this entails. It shouldn’t be a decision that you take lightly because it means creating life with half of your genetic material. Get all of your answers here, before you decide that donating sperm is the right choice for you.

The Sperm Donation Process

The first thing you need to do if you want to donate sperm is to find a sperm bank near you. Look for facilities that are an hour’s drive or closer from where you live. You will need to visit the location several times to go through the entire process and to make your donations. Once you have found a sperm bank to work with, get all the information they have regarding qualifications and what will happen next.

Most sperm banks will start by asking you questions over the phone. If you seem like a good fit, you will be invited to come in for a meeting. You will be interviewed and will spend a significant amount of time going through your medical and family histories. You may also need to produce a sample, not for donating, but for testing. Once accepted, you will have a second appointment for a physical and to have blood drawn for more testing. After you pass all the tests you may be offered a contract. Often these are for several months and require you to donate one to two times each week. It is a big time commitment.

Qualifying as a Sperm Donor

Qualifications for donating sperm are pretty rigorous. Specific qualifications will depend on the particular bank to which you apply, but there are some general requirements. For most sperm banks you need to be between 18 and 35 years old. You cannot be adopted or have a significant illness or health condition. You cannot be a drug user or smoker. Some banks get very specific about qualifications. You may need to meet certain height and weight requirements or be college educated.

How Much Money Do You Get for Donating Sperm?

Even if you have the best of intentions in donating sperm and mostly want to help people have a child, knowing how much do sperm banks pay should still be important to you. Being a sperm donor is a major time commitment and sperm banks will pay your for your time. Most banks pay by the sample. Your contract with the sperm bank will outline the minimum number of samples you agree to donate, so you can calculate the minimum amount of money you will get for the total contract. If you donate more often than is required, you get paid more. Payment can range from $35 to $125 per sample.

Open vs. Closed Sperm Donations

An important fact to consider before you become a sperm donor is the possibility that one day in the future your children will want to find you and contact you. Find out your sperm bank’s policies on sharing your information before you make a commitment. Some only take closed, or anonymous, sperm donors, while others only take open donors, those who agree to have their identities shared with future children. Still other banks will give you the choice.

If you are going to be a closed, or an anonymous, donor, you are stating that you do not want any identifying information given out to future children. Many donors automatically choose this option, but think about it carefully. Imagine being a child conceived this way and how difficult it would be to never know anything about your biological father. Consider the possibility that in the future you might want to be contacted by your offspring. Another factor to consider is that open sperm donations often pay much better. A typical payment for a closed donation is $50, while open donations command $100 and more.

The Benefits of Sperm Donation

If you want to donate sperm, be prepared to make a big time commitment and to make some tough choices. It’s not an easy job, but there are some benefits. You will be paid well for your time and your samples. You get free medical testing including a complete physical, blood, urine, and semen testing, and testing for genetic disorders. You will also get the chance to be screened regularly for disease throughout the period of your contract. Few people get such thorough and free medical care. Most importantly of all, as a sperm donor you will be rewarded with the satisfaction of knowing that you helped people fulfill their dreams of having children, something that wouldn’t have been possible without you.