Known Sperm Donation
If you need a sperm donor then you might decide that using a friend, family member or someone else known to you is your preferred option.If you choose to do this then we would encourage you to do so in a treatment centre licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to protect you and your donor-conceived offspring’s emotional and physical health, and also to ensure that the legal parenthood status is clear. Using a known donor outside of a fertility clinic setting could have a range of adverse consequences.
Using a sperm donor who is known to you and with whom you have some kind of ongoing relationship may present a range of benefits and challenges to you, your donor, your donor-conceived children and your current and future families. It’s important that you discuss the implications individually and as a group through counselling before deciding to go ahead with treatment.
The process of donating and receiving donated sperm in fertility treatment is usually the same as when using a non-identifiable donor.
In some circumstances, however, the HFEA might waive some of the donor criteria such as the donor age limit.
You wouldn’t be able to start treatment straightaway, though, because your known donor will need to follow the standard donor screening route. Some clinics, however, do offer NAAT testing which can reduce the sperm quarantine period from six months to two months.