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Using Donor Sperm

An effective treatment for male factor infertility,
single women and female couples

INTRODUCTION

Donor insemination (DI) may be recommended as an effective treatment for male factor infertility or can be used by single women or same sex female couples who desire a start a family.

WHY?

Some couples are infertile because the male partner has a low sperm count, is not producing any sperm at all, or if there is a high possibility of passing on a known genetic condition.

How?

We will help you get started as a sperm recipient (via donation) process unless you already have a donor in mind. You will begin by reviewing donor profiles which enables you to select which donor may be the best ‘fit’ for you.

Information provided can include; Age, Ethnicity, Height and weight, Eye and hair color, Education and hobbies and family history. IVF London uses well established UK and European Donor sperm banks and our objective is to offer our patients a wide choice of donors to facilitate selection.

IVF London only use donors in accordance with stringent HFEA criteria. This means that donated sperm will usually be provided by men between the ages of 18 and 41. Sperm donors will have been required to undertake a series of health tests/screening, including HIV and hepatitis, to ensure that they do not pass on any serious diseases or medical conditions to you or your baby

How..?

Unless you have chosen to provide your own donor (who may be a close friend or relative), the identity of the donor provided through IVF London will not be made known to you, likewise; your name or any details regarding your identity will not be disclosed to the donor.

If you do choose to have a known donor, then we are required to screen the donor as per HFEA regulatory requirements, which may include a period of quarantining the sperm by freezing. Your chosen known donor will be screened rigorously for your safety prior to the use of his donated sperm.

Treatment

When you have selected your donor, the sperm will be ordered in a preserved (frozen) state. It will be thawed, washed and prepared just prior to your treatment at the clinic, where it will be used in an artificial insemination procedure known as intrauterine insemination (IUI).

The IUI procedure is a straightforward process where a fine tube or syringe containing the donor sperm is placed inside the uterus. The sperm is released at the upper end of the uterus near the fallopian tubes to coincide with ovulation, providing the best chance of fertilization.  The IUI procedure shouldn’t cause you pain or discomfort, although some women may experience mild cramps.

Treatment...

If there is a known female fertility problem, it may be advised that some woman undergo a schedule of medication (ovulation induction treatment) prior to insemination in order to stimulate her ovaries, to assist egg production prior to an IUI procedure.

Donor sperm can also be used as part of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) if a previous IUI treatment has been unsuccessful.

Counselling

This is a mandatory requirement for both partners and individuals at IVF London when seeking treatment using donated gametes or embryos. This is a pre-treatment session that is required to help you understand the social, ethical and legal implications of receiving  donated eggs, sperm or embryos.

Withdrawing and changing Consent

The donor has a legal right to withdraw or vary his consent for the use of his sperm up to the point of insemination.

Sperm Donation and The Law

IVF London is licensed and regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority under the terms of the HFEA Act 1990 to offer treatment using donated sperm. Buying sperm from sources other than a registered donor is illegal because it may not have been through the robust screening that treatment using a regulated fertility clinic provides.

It is the law that the woman receiving treatment, and her partner being treated with her, will be the legal parents of any child born as a result of donated sperm. Although the sperm donor will be the genetic parent of any child born, he will have no legal relationship to any child born nor have any legal rights over or obligation to any child born. In the same way any child born will have no legal relationship to, nor rights over and no obligation to any sperm donor.

Sperm Donation and The Law ...

A sperm donor is allowed to create a maximum of 10 families in the UK.  If you do get pregnant using donor sperm  you can purchase more ‘vials’ of frozen donor sperm from the same donor for future sibling use.  Once you have a livebirth, you have created a ‘family’  and any future pregnancies you may have using the same donor would be counted as a single family slot. There is a small risk that the donor you may have selected would have achieved the 10 family limit by the time you have your treatment in which case you may be asked to select another donor.

By law, the donors identifying details must be provided to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to be maintained on its confidential register. This also applies to donors who are from overseas. In April 2005, a new law came into force to remove anonymity from sperm, egg and embryo donors. This means that children conceived after this date as a result of such donation may, if they so desire, contact the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) when they are 18 years of age or older to receive identifying information about the donor.

Why Choose Us?

Here are some facts about your fertility journey with us that we’d like to share with you:

Every evaluation and treatment plan is uniquely tailored to meet your individual needs

You will have access to leading professionals, with over 35 years combined expertise, providing you with confidence and reassurance in your fertility diagnosis and subsequent treatment

Our multidisciplinary team includes specialists in fertility, urology, nutrition, counselling, genetics, endocrinology, haematology and weight management to provide a comprehensive range of support as and when you need it

We will work with you closely to understand your individual circumstances, identify any problems and agree with you, the best course of action to help make your dream a reality

We will always be honest and open about your chances of success with treatment.

Your comfort and care is always our top priority

Our focus remains entirely on you as an individual, your unique needs and your wellbeing

All investigations and treatments are provided within our new state-of-the-art clinic based in Elstree which offers a spacious environment with comfortable surroundings, to enhance your care and experience. We offer investigations and scans at our satellite locations too.

Our friendly consultant-led team is here to support you at every step throughout your fertility journey

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