Sperm donors are obtained either from family or from sperm banks.
Anonymous Sperm Donors
Typically, anonymous sperm donors are found after searching the online catalogs of the various sperm banks to find a great donor that matches the criteria you are looking for. Sperm banks put the donors through an extensive and prolonged screening process, including genetic counseling, personal and family medical history, STD screening, and sperm quality testing with 99% of all applicants being rejected. If the sperm donor is accepted, frozen vials of their sperm will be stored at the sperm bank. With anonymous donation, sperm banks can offer services such as donor matching consultations, sibling registries and genetic counselors. We can recommend several sperm banks for you to contact to start your search.
Known Sperm Donors
A known donor or “directed donor” is someone who is known to the intended parent, however is not someone with whom that person is sexually active. A directed donor will need a physical exam, blood test, genetic screening and semen analysis all of which we can help coordinate with you. Additionally, a legal contract would need to be set up before donation can occur. We also highly recommend psychological counseling ahead of time for you and your directed donor to discuss all potential issues that arise after the birth of your child.