The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Sperm Donor - 7 Tips
This is an exciting moment. You have chosen to use a sperm donor to have your dream of a baby come true, and now you must find the perfect donor. With more than 1.000 donors to choose from on Cryos website, this may, however, seem a little overwhelming. That is why we have created a guide for you about choosing a sperm donor.
When choosing the right sperm donor for your journey towards parenthood, there are a lot of things to consider. In this guide, we will cover the 7 most important things to think about when you choose your sperm donor:
- Check the legislation in your country
- How to choose the right sperm bank
- Decide the main criteria for your sperm donor
- Decide the level of information you want about the donor
- Consider if your child should have the possibility to contact the donor (sometimes depends on the legislation in the country where you are having treatment)
- Make sure that the donor has enough straws available for your treatment
- The Cryos sperm donor selection process
What are alias donors?
When looking through our Sperm Donor Search, you will meet a lot of different names like Zeke, Mikey, or Eston. The fictitious name was used for marketing purposes in the USA, while the original number was used in Denmark. However, since the 1st of March 2009, all the alias donors have been presented together under their fictitious name, and the documentation now clearly indicates (Donor Characteristic & Quarantine Release) when the sperm donor is an alias. Since the 1st of March 2009, Cryos International Sperm Bank has not sold alias donors under numbers, only under fictitious names.
1. Check the legislation in your country
The first thing you should think about is probably not the most fun part, but nevertheless, necessary. All countries have legal requirements when it comes to sperm (and egg) donors. Some countries allow you to use an ID Release donor (potential future contact), while in other countries you can only use a Non-ID Release donor (no contact). Likewise, some countries only allow you to choose a donor with basic information available. The easiest way to know what the rules are in your country is to speak to your fertility clinic about the options in your country.
If you have not found the right fertility clinic to receive your treatment at, you may want to read our blog post 10 things to consider before choosing a fertility clinic.
2. How to choose the right sperm bank
When choosing the right sperm bank to help you on your way towards parenthood, there are a few things you might want to consider.
- Variety of sperm donors: At Cryos, we have a lot of different sperm donors available to help you on your way. Whether you prefer to choose a sperm donor based on their physical trait or personality, there should be an option for you in our Donor Search.
- A thorough screening process: Besides the variety of sperm donors, we make sure that only high-quality donors are available in our Donor Search. Because of our thorough screening process, we can make sure that our donors are healthy men with high-quality sperm.
3. Decide the main criteria for your sperm donor
What are the basic criteria that your donor must fulfil? This could be regarding ethnicity, eye colour, hair colour, etc. However, try not to establish too many criteria, to begin with. You will have the option to narrow it down at a later stage. If you start with too many criteria concerning education, hobbies, height, weight, etc., you may find yourself in a situation with a limited field to choose from. Try to figure out what is really important to you and move on from there.
4. Decide the level of information you want about the donor
Next up: how much information you want about your donor. You have the option of either choosing a Basic or Extended sperm donor profile.
A Basic Profile contains information such as the donor’s ethnicity, eye colour, hair colour, height, weight, employment and blood type. If you don’t consider much information a plus, but only need the basics or/and if you want to keep the costs down, a Basic Profile may be the right choice for you.
If you want inspiration regarding your choice of Donor Profile, then follow the link to our blog post 3 things to consider when choosing a Sperm Donor Profile.
If you need more information to make the right decision, you can go for an Extended Profile. In addition to the information in the basic profile, you also get a sound recording of the donor’s voice, child photos of the donor, a personality test, a handwritten letter from the donor and his answers to a range of personal questions about hobbies, interests etc.
If you can’t get enough information, and you really want the full picture of your donor it is now also possible for you to get access to pictures of our sperm donors were some have photos of themselves as an adult. The opportunity to see both childhood and adult photos of your sperm donor equips you with a more comprehensive idea of who your sperm donor is. It can also give you an idea of the possible features of your future child.
“The photos of the donors as children are a plus, but the photos of the donors as adults give you a more concrete and real impression. It brought me a personal feeling, which I think is also important in this particular choice. In addition, I personally want to be able to provide as much information as possible to my future child, if it comes to be important for her later.
And then in life, it is normal to choose your partner, so why should it be different for this important choice?”
- Marie, France
5. Consider whether your child should have the possibility to contact the donor
One of the most important choices you have to make is whether your child should have the option to contact the sperm donor when he or she turns 18. In some countries, this is given because only one or the other option is allowed.
At Cryos, a donor with no possibility for contact is called a Non-ID Release sperm donor, and a donor with the possibility for future contact is called an ID Release sperm donor. With an ID Release donor, your child will have the opportunity to have the donors name, date of birth and last known address provided at Cryos when he or she turns 18. That is if he or she wants to. We know that to some, knowing more about their genetic heritage becomes very important. To others, there is no need to know about the donor. If you do not want your child to have the option to seek contact, you can choose a Non-ID Release donor. Then, no one will ever be able to obtain more information about him than provided in the donor profile.
6. Make sure that the donor has enough straws available for your treatment
Make sure that the donor you have decided upon has enough straws for your entire treatment. Most people need a few treatments to get pregnant. Therefore, it can be a good idea to reserve some extra straws for your entire fertility treatment. Reserving sperm straws costs a little extra, but it is definitely worth it if you are set on a specific donor.
Read more about the cost of reservation by following the link to our page: Sperm Donor cost and payment options.
7. The Cryos sperm donor selection process
At Cryos, we make sure that our screening process is thorough to help people make their dream of a child come true, without risking the health of the potential child or mother. Therefore, we make sure that every man that applies to become a sperm donor is healthy, both mentally and physically.
Follow the link to read more about the sperm donor screening process here.
Frequently asked questions about choosing a sperm donor
How many sperm donors are available at Cryos?
At Cryos, we have the largest selection of sperm donors available in the world. The specific amount of donors available varies from one country to another, depending on the legislation. Some countries only allow one type of donor profile, while others only allow ID or Non-ID Release donors, which will affect the number of donors available.
Can I get a sperm donor that looks like me?
Yes, most people are able to find a sperm donor with a similar physical appearance as themselves. When choosing a sperm donor, it is possible to see pictures of the donors as children, some even have pictures of themselves as adults.
Can a sperm donor know their child?
Yes, it is possible for the sperm donor to get to know their child, but only if the child contacts the donor. Children born with the help of ID Release donors, can contact us and receive their sperm donor's contact information when they turn 18, thus giving them the option of getting in contact with their donor.