How much sperm to order

    When reserving or ordering donor sperm many future parents wonder what amount would be best. Here below we guide you through the right amount of donor sperm to order for each treatment.


      Below we discuss how much sperm is recommended when using either home insemination or treatment at a clinic. We hope our recommendations help you to make the best choice.

      Woman ordering donor sperm on her computer

      What is MOT? 

      MOT is an abbreviation for ‘motility’ and means the number of millions of motile (moving) sperm cells per ml. For example, a MOT10 means there are at least 10 million motile (moving) sperm cells per ml. Our straws are sold in .5 ml straws, so in each Cryos .5ml MOT10 straw, we guarantee a minimum of 5 million motile sperm. 

      Follow the link to find a further explanation about sperm motility or MOT. 

      Donor sperm for home insemination

      For the home insemination process, both ICI and IUI straws can be used. We recommend using 2 x ICI or IUI, MOT10 straws. In order to have the best chance of getting pregnant we recommend that you plan around your most fertile time by inseminating once you have an LH surge and then again 12 hours later.

      MOT5 straws are specifically made for clinics to use for insemination. We are unable to recommend them for home insemination because they contain an insufficient number of motile sperm cells for most women to get pregnant. For best results, we suggest using a urine ovulation test-kit, available at any pharmacy. Please follow the instructions in the package and track your ovulation.

      If you want to learn more about the cost of home insemination compared to other fertility treatments, we recommend you to follow the link to our blog post on the subject.

      Donor sperm for ICI treatment at a fertility clinic

      For ICI treatment, we recommend using 2 MOT10 straws or higher. Both IUI and ICI straws can be used, depending on your clinic’s preferences.

      Donor sperm for IUI treatment

      • IUI-ready straws: We recommend using 1 x IUI MOT10 straw per treatment, but a higher or lower MOT can be used if your clinic consents. We recommend that you always ask your clinic for advice before you place your order. 
         
      • ICI-straws: ICI straws can only be used, if the sperm is prepared at your clinic prior to treatment. If you use ICI straws, we recommend 4 x ICI MOT5, 2 x ICI MOT10 or 1 x ICI MOT20 straw or higher, per treatment. We recommend that you ask your clinic for advice before you purchase your order.

      Donor sperm for IVF and ICSI

      Both ICI (your clinic must prepare the sperm) and IUI straws can be used. 
      We recommend using a 1 x MOT5 straw. Straws with a higher MOT can also be used.

      If you are in the process of ordering sperm, you might want to read about the shipment and delivery. Follow the link to our page Shipping and delivery of donor sperm.

      We are here to help

      Speak with one of our Customer Care representatives today to answer any questions you have about the amount of donor sperm to order. If you want inspiration regarding the choice of donor, then follow the link to our guide on how to choose a sperm donor.

      Reach us via phone at (407) 203-1175, email us at [email protected], or chat with us during regular operating hours through this website.