Donor Insemination: Who’s Donating & Who’s Receiving

The use of donor sperm and sperm banks has changed over the years. The men donating has also changed. Host Dawn Davenport talks about the changes in sperm donation with Dr. Michelle Ottey, laboratory director and director of operations for Fairfax Cryobank and Cryogenic Laboratories.

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Hit the Highlights
  • How old is the average sperm donor who donates at a sperm bank?
  • What is the primary motivation for sperm donation?
  • What percentage of men who donate at sperm banks are married and what percentage have children?
  • What genetic testing is done on the sperm donors at sperm banks?
  • Is the sperm safe from disease?
  • Are sperm donors told how many children have been born from their sperm?
  • With the advances in infertility treatment, especially the treatment of male infertility, who uses artificial insemination to create their family?
  • Are children conceived through artificial insemination more likely to have health issues or genetic abnormalities?
  • Is it common for a sperm donor to agree to be identified to the child or family?

Identified donor

  • With identified donors, what information is shared and to whom?
  • Is it advisable to use the sperm of someone you know (family or friend) for artificial insemination?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of using known sperm donors?
  • How can you be sure that the sperm from a known donor is safe from disease?
  • What percentage of intended parents choose anonymous sperm donation over identified sperm donation?
  • What percentage of parents are planning to tell their children that they were conceived with donated sperm?
  • Is it important that children be told that the were conceived with donor sperm?
  • How many times can a man donate sperm?
  • Is there a limit to the number of children that can be conceived with one man’s donor sperm?
  • Do sperm banks have limits on the number of families that can use one man’s sperm?
  • Do sperm banks track the geographic location of the children conceived with one donor’s sperm?