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Same-sex Couples with Donor Sperm

Donor Screening

The donor is a key issue in IUI/DI and Bridge has one of the largest and most comprehensive sperm banks in the UK.

A number of different sources are used for donor recruitment, including medical schools, local colleges and businesses. The most important criteria are that the donors should be healthy and with a good sperm count. It is preferable that the prospective donor has had children of his own.

Each donor is screened for sexually transmittible agents including HIV, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and cytomegalovirus as well as genetic defects through chromosome analysis and cystic fibrosis screening as recommended by the British Andrology Society. Screening for Sickle Cell disease, Thalassaemia and Tay Sachs disease is performed where necessary.

In addition, Bridge freezes donated samples and quarantines them for six months prior to use. This is a requirement laid down in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's (HFEA) Code of Practice and allows time for all the test results to be collected and verified, also for HIV testing to be repeated.

The Use of Known Donors

The use of a known donor is an option open to any patient requiring donor sperm.

Patients are advised that extensive testing and screening is required before IUI using sperm from a known donor can safely take palce and the process also involves freezing, a mandatory six month quarantine period and further testing. In all, 8-9 months should be allowed for this process which is fully described in a separate document "IUI/DI using Known Donors", which is available from Admissions.

Donor Selection

Bridge has an exceptionally varied sperm bank and a very wide range of physical characteristics are documented. Characteristics usually matched are ethnic background, eye, skin and hair colouring, height and blood group, if required.

Expert help in defining donor characteristics is available and, prior to commencing treatment, you will be able to discuss donor profiles with one of Bridge's specially trained nurses. The profiling session can be booked with Reception and you should arrange this immediately you decide to proceed with treatment.

Donor Consent

It is a requirement of the law that donors giving consent to the storage and use of their sperm can vary or withdraw their consent at any time up until their genetic material has been introduced into the patient. For this reason, a profiling session will normally result in two or three selections being made.