Selection of sperm donors
The sperm donors in the United Kingdom are altruistic volunteers. This means no financial gains to the donors in donating their sperm, they are only paid reasonable expenses. Donors are paid in some countries.
Sperm donors are often recruited from a local student population or from men who already have families and who wished to help others. Couples may wish to use a known donor or a relative of the husband so that the baby will be related to both parents. This is acceptable if all parties agree. However there are many ethical, psychological and moral issues involved in using a known donor.
All prospective sperm donors should be healthy men and of normal intelligence and fertility with no history of mental disorders or genetic or inherited or sexually transmitted diseases. The donors should be between 18 and 40 years old (up to 40 in the USA). There is evidence of an increased risk of miscarriage, congenital malformation and autism in the children of men above 40 years (UK guidelines 2008, Human Fertility;11:201-210). Preferably, they should have had healthy children of their own.
The center may contact the potential donor's doctor (with donor permission) to see if he or she knows of any reason that precludes the donor from donation.
Because some sperm die during freezing procedures, it is essential for sperm donors to have a high number of normal motile sperm in the ejaculate. Some fertile men may not be suitable as sperm donors.
Sperm donors hould undergo complete physical and genital examination including checking for urethral discharge, genital warts and ulcers. Donors will not be accepted if any of these findings are present.