Who can donate sperm?
The individual situation of a couple determines which man is eligible to donate sperm. Theoretically, this can be the partner himself, a man from his private environment or a donor from a sperm bank.
A major advantage of sperm donation is that the sperm can then be brought closer to its destination by means of artificial insemination, for example into the uterus (intrauterine insemination, IUI) or even directly into the egg (in-vitro fertilization, IVF). The risk of disease transmission (such as HIV) can also be minimized in this way.
Homologous insemination
If the sperm from your own husband is used for artificial insemination, reproductive physicians refer to this as homologous insemination.
Sperm donation from your own partner is useful if the man’s fertility is limited, for example because his sperm are not mobile enough. Even if the woman has problems getting pregnant, sperm donation from the partner can sometimes help.
Heterologous sperm donation
Private sperm donation?
For a long time, private sperm donation was the only way for lesbian couples to have a child. Nowadays, the legal situation is still not clear and depends on the federal state. However, some sperm banks also make sperm donation available to lesbian couples if they are married and sign a corresponding contract. In Germany, single women who wish to have children are dependent on private donors and often carry out so-called home insemination. This works roughly as follows: The private donor ejaculates into a cup. The ejaculate is then inserted through the vagina and placed in front of the cervix (e.g. using a special syringe) during the woman’s fertile days.
The sperm donation process
Official donors must deliver the semen sample directly to the reproductive medicine center or to the sperm bank’s practice, as a maximum of one hour must elapse between ejaculation and processing. The fresh sperm must be processed, examined and frozen (cryopreservation) quickly or, in the case of homologous insemination, be immediately available for artificial insemination. Only in exceptional cases can sperm be donated at home.
- Privacy: The rooms provided for sample collection offer the necessary privacy and washing facilities.
- Aids: Erotic booklets and films are usually available on site, and assistance from your partner is also permitted.
- Abstinence: A good result is more likely if you abstain from sexual intercourse about four days beforehand, but no longer than 10 days.
- No lubricant: The substances it contains damage the motility of the sperm.
- Cleanliness: Clean your penis and hands with warm water before masturbation to avoid contamination.
- Quantities: The quantity is a sign of quality. If the ejaculate does not end up completely in the cup, you should not withhold this information from the doctor.
Sperm donation for the sperm bank
Requirements for the sperm donor
Can you imagine helping an unintentionally childless couple with your sperm donation? Then you need to meet a few requirements. The perfect donor can be summarized with the words “young, potent and healthy”.
- Procreative age: between 18 and 40 years old
- Super sperm quality: a good spermiogram is a prerequisite
- Best health: no severe allergies, no hereditary diseases, no rheumatism, no heart defects
- Healthy lifestyle: no heavy smoker, no alcohol abuse, no drug use
The sperm donation process
- First semen sample: This is used to check the quality of the sperm.
- Second semen sample: This is to confirm the first result.
- Medical history and physical examination: This includes blood, urine, genetic and chromosome analysis to rule out infectious and hereditary diseases (such as HIV, hepatitis, cystic fibrosis).
- Legal information and contract with the sperm bank: If you are healthy and have been informed about your compensation, rights and obligations, you will be given a contract to sign.
- Regular sperm donations: You will then go to the sperm bank once or twice a week (up to ten times).
- Last health check: Six months after the last sperm donation, you will have another examination to rule out any infections that may have developed in the meantime.
The sperm banks are legally obliged to adhere to this procedure and the corresponding examinations.
Financial aspects of sperm donation
Donating sperm will not make you rich. The desire to help childless couples should be paramount. However, as a sperm donor you will receive a free health check with HIV and genetic testing as well as a sperm quality test.
Men who do not provide all of the agreed sperm donations or terminate the contract prematurely will not receive the remaining payment and may have to pay compensation to the sperm bank.
Legal situation for sperm donation
According to the Federal Court of Justice, heterologous insemination may no longer be performed anonymously since 1989. But what does this mean? Does the sperm donor suddenly appear on the doorstep or can the children born through sperm donation later claim maintenance?
Most eventualities after heterologous (donor) insemination are regulated by a donor contract. This also stipulates that the donor remains unknown to the future parents (regardless of whether they are married or unmarried) and, conversely, the parents remain unknown to the donor. In addition, the donor does not receive any information about the names or number of children conceived with his sperm. For couples who become parents with donor sperm, the donor not only remains anonymous, the contract also stipulates that they accept the resulting child as their own. It is also not possible for them to contest the paternity (§ 1600 Para. 2 BGB).
After the age of 16, a child conceived through heterologous insemination has the opportunity to find its biological father.
Lesbian couples or single women who are considering private sperm donation should definitely seek legal advice beforehand.
Genetic half-siblings
Genetic half-siblings should not accumulate regionally. For this reason, the donor may only donate his sperm to one sperm bank, and the sperm banks are required to produce no more than ten children with the sperm of one donor. In order to further limit the spread, couples who wish to have more children after successful fertilization with a sperm donor should be given the opportunity to have sperm from the same man “reserved” for siblings.
