How can I Become a Sperm Donor?

It is fairly easy to become a sperm donor if you are in good health and have a clear family medical history. To become a sperm donor, start by contacting local sperm banks and asking to apply as a donor. Most sperm banks want donors to be conveniently located, such as within an hour's travel time. In most cases, you must be between the ages of 18 and 44 to become a sperm donor.

If you want to become a sperm donor, you should prepare to have your background explored thoroughly. Most sperm banks do not accept sperm donors who were adopted. This is because they would be unable to check into your family's medical and mental background thoroughly if you were adopted. A sperm bank will want to make sure there is no history of inheritable diseases or conditions before you are allowed to donate. This includes mental conditions.

Before you can donate sperm, you also have to submit to a medical examination. This is intended to ensure that you are completely free of serious illnesses and that you are in good general health. You will be given blood and urine tests. As part of the process, you'll also be tested for sexually transmitted infections.

You will typically have to give an initial semen sample during the screening process. You will be asked to provide your semen sample in the privacy of a collection room. To ensure your comfort, you will be given magazines and videos and left alone in this room to provide your sample. Your sperm sample will then be tested by the sperm bank's laboratory to evaluate your sperm count and its quality. The lab will also test how well your sperm responds to freezing.

Once testing is complete and everything looks good, you will be eligible to provide sperm donations. In most cases, prospective donors are asked to sign contracts. These contracts require them to provide semen donations for a six-month period, usually once or twice a week. However, each sperm bank has its own unique requirements for how often a donor submits sperm samples.

Once you have given your required number of sperm donations, your job is not over. Your sperm samples will be quarantined for six months; this is to ensure that your blood was actually free of infection at the time you provided the donations. Since some infections and diseases have an incubation period during which testing may not be entirely accurate, this six-month re-testing is intended to protect the woman who will receive your sperm donation as well as any children who might be born from it. Once the second blood test is performed and you are proven to be free of disease, you will be paid; payment amounts vary, depending on the particular sperm bank. However, most donors receive between $35 and $50 US dollars (USD) for each specimen.