Sperm Donation: An Insight

A donor donates his sperm in order to impregnate a woman who is not his sexual partner. Sperm donation is of two types- artificial insemination and natural insemination. Donation of the sperm is mostly done through a clinic or a sperm bank and they keep the donor’s identity anonymous and also restrict the number of offspring. Usually single women, lesbian couples and heterosexual couples who suffer from male infertility often resort to donor sperm to enjoy parenthood. They generally choose their donor on the basis of looks, race and personality when going through a sperm bank, but some of these banks restrict the amount of information to the particular recipients.

The sperm donor is not intended to be the legal father, though he is the natural or biological father of every child produced by his sperms and later on may or may not be eligible to seek parental rights. Donors may avoid legal restrictions by having sperm provided privately or directly to the intended mother. He may or may not be paid for the sperm donation according to the agreed arrangements and local laws. Although artificial insemination is generally used, some recipients choose to arrange donations privately and directly as sperms need not be frozen in case of natural insemination and there is more chance of pregnancy in fresh semen.

No doubt it produces higher pregnancy rates; it lacks the safety precautions and screening that are prevalent in artificial insemination process. Every sperm donor who engages in the process of donating his sperm with the help of a sperm bank is screened and undertakes numerous psychological and medical tests to confirm that the donor produces sperm of enough quality and quantity and is medically fit.

Sperm donation is now largely accepted in many western countries and hence the number of sperm banks is increasing rapidly. The monetary compensation and to help childless couples are the common reasons to donate sperm. People are sometimes reluctant to donate sperm as a sense of responsibility and ownership for the well-being of the child. Many recipients do not tell the child about the whole process but if your child is mature enough to understand, let him make the decision by explaining it all to him. This is good for all because if he gets to know the reality from the third person, he may resent you for not letting him know of his real identity.

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