Assisted Conception Unit
Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Denmark Hill
London
SE5 9RS
Direct tell: 020 3299 5390
Direct fax: 020 3299 5392
Website: www.kch.nhs.uk
Email: kch-tr.fertility@nhs.net
How to become a sperm
donor at King’s
Thank you for considering being a semen donor. This leaflet explains why we
need donors, who is suitable to donate and what you need to do before we can
use your sperm for treatment.
We welcome donors of all nationalities, from all ethnic groups and from all
walks of life.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Title PIL Sperm donors
Document ID
Review Date
122
17.05.2013
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of 4
We need donors because:
Of the men attending a subfertility clinic with their partner, a quarter will be found to have a sperm count which
significantly reduces the chance of a pregnancy. Some of these men may have been fertile in the past but
have had some serious illness requiring drugs or treatment which has made them infertile; some may have
chosen to be sterilised and are now regretting the decision, but the majority will have this problem for no
identifiable reason. Sometimes the couple do not have a fertility problem but would not want to use the male
partner's sperm because of a hereditary disease. Lesbian couples and single women are treated at the clinic
and also need donor sperm.
We need donors who:
1. are aged less than 46 – there is evidence to suggest that genetic abnormalities are commoner in
older fathers. Although the risk is relatively small, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
(HFEA), the organisation that regulates assisted conception, stipulates that men who are 46 years and
older cannot be sperm donors.
2. have time for a consultation which may take up to two hours – during this consultation a detailed
medical history is taken, any questions you may have will be answered and if you decide to go ahead
you will sign the appropriate consent forms and samples will be taken for the infection screen.
3. have a good sperm count – all sperm for donation has to be frozen and quarantined before use.
Sperm may be damaged by the freezing process, so we can only store and use samples which are
particularly good. We carry out a trial freeze and thaw on the first sample you produce and tell you if
the samples are suitable for use as a donation. Please be reassured that even if your samples are not
selected for use we would not be inferring that your fertility is impaired or that you will have difficulty in
conceiving your own children.
4. are free from sexually transmitted diseases (in particular HIV) – these infections can be
transmitted at the time of insemination. We collect a urine sample from you from (to check for
gonorrhoea and chlamydia) in the clinic. We test your blood to see whether you have been exposed to
hepatitis, syphilis or HIV. Counselling is available to you before testing if you require it.
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5. are free from hereditary risk –we need to know details of your and your family’s medical history.
With your permission we write to your GP asking for confirmation that there is no medical history of
relevance.
6. are able to attend a session with our counsellor – this is to make sure that you have considered
all the implications of donating sperm and to allow you the opportunity to ask any questions you may
have before your first donation.
7. are able to commit yourself –we would ask you to donate ten samples over a three-month period.
After six months you have more blood taken to screen for infection before we use your sperm to treat
patients.
Registration with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority:
We are required by law to register the details of all sperm donors with the HFEA. The details it requires include
the donor’s full name, current address, and any other name by which they have ever been known, their date of
birth, height, weight, eye colour, skin colour, ethnic origin, occupation, interests, and whether they have been a
semen donor elsewhere. We ask donors to keep us informed of any changes of address.
Our main concern is always the welfare of any person born as a result of treatment. It is now generally
believed that it is in the best interest of children to grow up in an environment where they have access to the
truth about their background. When they are 18 any child will be able to ask the HFEA whether they were
conceived following donation and ask for identifying information about their donor parent. They would not be
given this information until their donor parent had been contacted and had had the opportunity to have
counselling. We have no idea how many donor conceived adults might wish to contact their donor parent. The
act of donation relieves the donor of responsibility for the donor-conceived child and vice versa.
Donors can contact us at any time to find out how many children have been conceived following the use of
their sperm. The HFEA states that the maximum number of families that can be conceived from one donor is
10.
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However, donors may put a lower limit on the number of families conceived if they wish. They may withdraw
their consent to the use of their samples at any time until the semen has been used in treatment.
Contact us for more information:
Many thanks for taking the time to read this leaflet. If you are still interested in being a donor then please
contact us by phoning King’s Assisted Conception Unit (ACU) on 020 3299 5390. We will send you further
information including copies of the consent forms that you will have to sign prior to donating your samples. We
will also send you an appointment for a sperm analysis and a consultation with our lead consultant. At the
consultation the sperm analysis will be discussed and the donor given the opportunity to ask any questions
and will, if he decides to go ahead, be asked to sign a number of consent forms and give a blood sample.
As a sperm donor you can receive compensation of up to £35 per clinic visit, to reasonably cover any financial
losses incurred in connection with the donation, with the provision to claim an excess to cover higher travel
expenses. Where claiming an excess for higher travel expenses donors are expected to use standard class
travel and to only use taxis where public transport is unavailable. All claims should be accompanied by a
receipt.
If you are a sperm donor who is not a permanent resident of the UK you may be compensated in the same
way as a UK donor but you will not be able to claim an excess to cover overseas travel expenses.
Thank you for your help
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