Who might need donor sperm?
There are multiple different reasons why a couple or individual may need to use donor sperm to start their family, we’re here to support anyone going through this journey.
Starting a family with donor sperm
Informed decisions
A personalised approach
Selecting donor sperm can feel overwhelming, but we’re here to support you every step of the way. Our team provides the information you need to make informed decisions and can arrange counselling to explore the implications of your choices.
From your initial consultation to embryo transfer, you’ll see the same doctor throughout, ensuring continuity of care and a personalised approach.
What sets The Evewell apart is our commitment to optimising every cycle through expertise, empathy, and collaboration. Our consultants, nurses, embryologists, and patient services team meet daily to review all patients in treatment, ensuring no detail is overlooked.
Your treatment plan is tailored to you—never a one-size-fits-all approach. We continually assess and refine your care, using the most effective techniques and medications to maximise your chances of success.
Support and guidance
Here for you, every step of the way
We understand the challenges and joys of starting a family using donor sperm, and we have a lot of experiencing helping patients through this journey.
Our clinics are designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and supportive, creating a safe space where you can feel comfortable and respected.
You’ll have longer than usual appointments to ensure you are able to ask all the questions you need, and we have dedicated team members to help with all legalities involved when it comes to donor conception.
Helping you select donor sperm
A world-class embryology team
Each clinic has a donor sperm coordination team within the embryology team, meaning you’ll speak with one person who will follow your journey. Our embryologists are happy to arrange free consultations to support the donor sperm pathway and ensure patients are assisted in navigating the bank websites, and understanding the regulations.
The Evewell works closely alongside a diverse range of sperm banks within the UK, EU and the US:
- The London Sperm Bank (UK)
- The European Sperm Bank (EU)
- Cryos (EU)
- California Cryobank (US)
- Xytex (US)
- Fairfax (US)
What treatment is best for me?
You’ll discuss with your consultant the most appropriate treatment, depending on your fertility history and family goals. Each has its advantages; some have higher success rates than others, and we’ll help you make the right choice based on your fertility potential, personal preferences, and medical circumstances.
Types of sperm donors
Donor conception is highly regulated in the UK by the HFEA, and we will guide you through this process. The sperm donor has no legal rights or financial obligation to the child, is not the legal parent, and won’t be named on the birth certificate. If you choose anonymised donor sperm, your child will be able to access identifiable details of their donor once they reach 18.
Types of sperm donors
- Known donor: A friend or family member can donate sperm, allowing a personal connection to the child.
- Anonymous donor: Sperm from a licensed sperm bank provides privacy and a detailed donor profile, including health history, ethnicity, education, and more.
Donor sperm conception, step by step
Once you’ve had your Initial Consultation with one of our doctors, and have together decided the best course of action to help you build your family, the below steps must be completed before your treatment can commence.
Step 01
Implications Counselling
Step 01
Implications Counselling
Once you have had your Initial Consultation and discussed with one of our doctors if donor sperm is an appropriate part of your treatment plan, your consultant will initiate the process and The Embryology Transport Team will be in contact.
The first stage is to complete mandatory Implications Counselling (before importing any samples for treatment) to explore the legal, social, and ethical implications of donation, as well as to give you the opportunity to discuss any questions, concerns and anxieties for yourself and any child that you may have through treatment.
Step 02
Selecting donor sperm
Step 02
Selecting donor sperm
The Embryology Transport Team will give you a list of donor banks we work closely and have licence agreements with and it is entirely your choice how you decide to filter and select your donor.
Each bank categorises their sperm differently, and the type, quality and sample to order depends on the treatment you are planning: IUI or ISCI, we are always more than happy to answer any questions during this selection process.
Click here to read more about how to go about selecting donor sperm.
Step 03
How much do I need?
Step 03
How much do I need?
We would always suggest you purchase more than one sample as a backup or for subsequent cycles, so consider factoring this into your budget.
The amount of donor sperm required depends on your chosen treatment:
- For IUI, you’ll need one vial of sperm per cycle.
- For IVF, sperm from a single vial can fertilise multiple eggs in the lab.
If you’re planning for multiple children or future cycles, you may want to purchase extra vials from the same donor to maintain genetic consistency between siblings.
Our Embryology Transport Team will discuss with you their recommendations based on your treatment plan and donor bank of choice.
Step 04
Ordering donor sperm
Step 04
Ordering donor sperm
Choosing your donor can be a lengthy and difficult process. The sooner you start looking and narrowing down your choices, the better.
Our Embryology Transport Team advises looking at ordering donor sperm a minimum of four weeks prior to starting the relevant treatment cycle – this is to ensure no treatment delays and the completion of any necessary documentation alongside the physical importation of the samples.
For donor sperm import costs, please see here.
Step 05
What happens next?
Step 05
What happens next?
Once all legal consent forms have been be completed, and The Embryology Transport Team have completed all the necessary paperwork with the donor bank and the HFEA, the donor sperm shipment will be approved and the bank will send the samples by specialised courier. The samples usually take no more than a week to arrive.
The Embryology Transport Team will be in touch when the sample(s) are safely with us and only then your treatment cycle can commence.
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