Sperm Bank

Sperm banks facilitate couples or individuals to have a child through donor insemination. Not all clinics have their own banks. Sperm donors are carefully screened as required by HFEA. A donor will need to see a doctor for a physical examination.

A urine sample is needed to screen for chlamydia and a semen sample will be needed to screen for gonorrhoea.  A blood sample will also be taken in order to check the blood group and to test for infections such as hepatitis B and C, syphilis, CMV and the HIV virus. These are repeated at certain intervals, normally after six months.

The screening of donors in this way is crucial as infections could be passed onto the woman receiving the sperm and, if she becomes pregnant, her child. Tests are also performed to exclude cystic fibrosis and chromosome abnormalities.

Since 2005 the anonymity law changed enabling children conceived of donor to find identifying information out about the donor. This has had a devastating effect on the number and quality of donors offering to donate. Consequently patients are having to seek for a suitable donor through the Internet and abroad.