Sperm Donor FAQs
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Donation Offices
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Sperm Donor FAQ’s
Why do I have to live near a facility to become a donor?
Why do you require a 6 month commitment?
How long will it take to hear back after I apply?
How long will it take to get into the program?
What do the medical tests involve?
How many times a week can I donate?
What are the specimens used for?
What are the legalities of sperm donation?
I was not accepted into the program, does that mean I cannot have children?
Donors have stated that they are driven both by the knowledge that they are helping an infertile couple to have a family of their own, and the financial compensation we provide for donors’ time and effort. For more information, read some of our donor testimonials.
Compensation includes bi-weekly or monthly checks, as well as the knowledge that you are helping infertile couples. The average donor earns $100 per acceptable specimen, although many are compensated more based on a healthy lifestyle and optimal abstinence hours. Compensation is provided only after a donor is fully accepted into the program. Applicants who are not accepted into the program are not compensated. Donors are considered independent contractors and will receive a 1099 for taxes.
Your anonymity is very important to us. All donor information is completely confidential. Online applications are submitted directly to your local facility, and we do not share your information with outside parties. Donor files are numerically coded to assure confidentiality. Access to files is restricted. Your identity will not be revealed to any recipient, nor shall the identity of any recipient be disclosed to you. In the case of ID Options donors, only offspring, upon reaching the age of 18, can request basic contact information.
Why do I have to live near a facility to be a donor?
Donors need to be within a commuting distance to a facility due to the program commitment. The program requires that donors produce a minimum of one specimen per week on site for a minimum of six months.
Why do you require a six month commitment?
We ask for a six month commitment so we have enough specimens to compensate for the expense of the medical testing involved. The majority of our donors choose to and are allowed to continue donating past the 6 month point. Donors who leave the program prior to fulfilling the six month commitment will be financially responsible for completed medical testing and will be required to pay the balance to the Cryobank. Donors will also be contractually obligated to return all compensation.
The first step is to complete the online application. Your application will be reviewed and we will contact you via email to inform you whether or not you have been selected to continue the donor process. For more information, please see the steps to becoming a donor page.
How long will it take to hear back after I apply?
We review applications on a regular basis. Potential donors can expect a response within one week after submitting the initial online application, or two weeks after submitting the medical questionnaire. Sometimes we receive a large quantity of applicants at once, which delays our response time. If you have not heard from your local facility within a week, please email. See the contact us page for a list of email addresses.
How long will it take to get into the program?
The process can take up to three weeks. Applicants should expect to spend at least one hour filling out the medical questionnaire and one hour for the interview. Up to four appointments may be scheduled with your local facility for semen evaluation. An initial blood draw and physical will also need to be scheduled before final approval. Once accepted into the program, we will require blood draws at three month intervals, and physicals at six month intervals.
What do the medical tests involve?
You will be required to have a physical exam, provide a urine sample, semen sample, and have your blood drawn. The genetic and infectious disease testing is very extensive, implements the most advanced technology available today, and is fully compliant with new FDA regulations as specified in 21 CFR Part 1271.
Specimens are produced by self-masturbation in private collection rooms. Literature is provided for donors. Donors are always welcome to bring personal laptops or music players with headphones.
How many times a week can I donate?
A minimum of 72 hours of sexual abstinence is generally needed for specimens to pass our standards for processing. The number of donations per week is based on donor specimen quality and overall lifestyle choices.
What are the specimens used for?
The specimens are used by women and couples to fulfill their dream of having children.
What are the legalities of sperm donation?
Donors assume no responsibility or liability for any offspring conceived through donor semen. As such, donors will have no rights to any offspring conceived. Applicants may choose to be an ID Options Donor, where the offspring conceived will be able to access information about the donor once the offspring reaches the age of 18.
I was not accepted into the program, does that mean I cannot have children?
In most cases, no. Our testing is not a reflection of whether or not you can have a child, but rather whether your specimen can withstand our processing procedures. In order to provide the best quality product to patients, we need men who produce high quality sperm. Men who fall into the normal range do not make it into our program, but can, and do, produce healthy and happy children. If we see anything that may impact an applicant’s ability to conceive children when we are performing our analysis, we immediately notify him and refer him to a specialist.