Are you thinking of becoming a parent but are having some challenges? Well, Sperm donation is a wonderful option for individuals and couples who are looking to start a family. However, you may be unsure of your real path. The opportunity to start building a family is one that comes with a lot of joy, but there are also concerns that recipient families may have as they embark on a journey that involves donor sperm. Here’s a look at some of the things you may be wondering.
Reputable sperm banks want healthy donors of certain ages. At Cascade Cryobank, we ensure we give clients healthy sperm by conducting past medical history checks. We prefer that our donors have no history of illnesses aside from the occasional cold, flu, or seasonal allergies.
We also do an initial semen evaluation to determine if the specimen is acceptable for assisted reproductive therapy. If a potential donor is deemed to be suitable, they are invited back for a full physical evaluation and clinical laboratory testing. This includes genetic screening and a physical examination. We also ask that our donors lead a healthy lifestyle that is conducive to sperm health as well as their own physical and mental health.
Many sperm donation clinics have a family limit when it comes to the use of donor sperm. This is to prevent too many families from using the same donor. If this happens, the chances of multiple half-siblings increase. At Cascade Cryobank, we have a family limit of 25 worldwide. It’s important to note this is a family limit, meaning one family can potentially use the same donor multiple times, but it still counts as one family.
We keep meticulous customer records and family logs/sibling registry and regularly audit our distribution. There is no legal limit when it comes to sperm donation, but many sperm banks have their own internal policies which limit the number of family units that can be conceived using donor sperm.
Sperm donation is available to any couple or individual who is looking to start a family. You can be a single woman, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, or a heterosexual couple facing fertility struggles. Sperm clinics are supportive and inclusive, which is helpful in expanding the idea of what it means to be a family. Society is, in turn, becoming more accepting and the societal stigmas are being broken down.
While some sperm clinics are still fully anonymous, others offer the choice of whether a donor wishes to be known or unknown. At Cascade Cryobank, we offer the Early Disclosure Program, which is a donor identity release standard through which donor identity is available as soon as a live birth is reported. If a donor joins the EDP, you can have an initial meeting moderated by our licensed mental health professional.
If you’re thinking of using donor sperm to help you start your family, you may have questions not covered in this article. Please get in touch with us and we can help you out!
Cascade Cryobank, located in Lynnwood Washington, helps you grow your family with quality donor sperm derived from a selective screening process.
