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Using a sperm donor at TFP Fertility UK
At TFP Fertility UK, we have a wealth of experience caring for and supporting couples and single people who wish to use donor sperm.
We combine 35 years of fertility expertise with care that’s second to none, and treatment plans carefully tailored to your individual needs.
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IVF using donor sperm
IVF treatment with donor sperm is the same process as IVF, except it uses donor sperm instead of the sperm of a partner.
As part of your treatment, you’ll be offered tailored counselling from a professional fertility counsellor. This covers multiple topics, including:
The impact that using donated sperm may have on a child. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) states that sperm from a single donor can only be used to create up to ten families. This means there may be a possibility of half siblings in the future.
Talking to your child about how they were conceived
Your own feelings around using a donor and not being biologically related to your child
Understanding that your child can contact their donor at 18 years old and how you might feel if they choose to do so
It’s important to fully understand what it means to use a donor as part of your treatment plan and the impact it may have on you and your family in the future.
Whatever your situation and wherever you are in your fertility journey, we’ll work with you to develop a personalised treatment and care plan that optimises your chances of success and helps you manage the ups and downs of the experience.
Why would I use donor sperm?
You may consider using donor sperm in your fertility treatment because:
You or your partner don’t produce your own sperm or have a low sperm count
You or your partner’s own sperm are unlikely to conceive a baby
You have a high risk of passing on a genetic disorder to a child
You are a same sex couple
You’re a single woman
Can TFP Fertility UK help me find a sperm donor?
We have our own sperm bank that you’ll be able to use, or we’ll be able to help you choose a sperm donor from other reputable sources.
Our donors are all fit and healthy individuals who have met strict qualifying criteria in order to donate. They must also share their full medical history, as well as those of their immediate biological family members.
We also carry out a number of screening tests to ensure that the donor won’t pass any illnesses or infections to mother or baby.
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Contact us today
If you’d like to know more about using a sperm donor or would like to book an appointment, please contact us. We’ll get back to you within 48 hours and provide you with all the information you need to get started.
Frequently asked questions
Here we answer some of the questions people most often ask us. If you want to know more, contact our expert team today for a confidential chat and to book an appointment with one of our fertility experts.
What information can you provide about a donor?
When you’re looking for a suitable donor, we’ll provide you with as much information as we can about them without revealing their identity.
Typically, the information we’ll provide will include:
Physical characteristics
Height
Weight
Colour of eyes, hair and skin
Personal profile
Ethnic group
Religion
Occupation
Skills and interests
Reasons for donating
Carrier status for certain recessive conditions
If they have proven fertility
We also encourage donors to write a description of themselves and a goodwill message to any children created from their donation.
Can I find my own donor sperm to use?
Yes, you can find your own sperm donor to use for fertility treatment at TFP Fertility UK.
We strongly recommend you only use sperm from licensed clinics in the UK or abroad.
Alternatively, you may wish to use sperm from someone you know, such as a family member or friend.
If you do wish to use a known donor, they’ll have to undergo some health tests at one of our clinics, attend counselling, and sign consent forms before becoming a donor.
Sperm samples are quarantined for three months under HFEA regulations. They’ll then be re-screened and released for use in treatment.
We’ll discuss the full process with you during your consultation and give you plenty of time to ask questions.
Can I use sperm from someone we know?
We have helped many couples have a child using sperm from a known donor, such as a friend.
If you or your partner wish to have IUI or IVF using a known donor, the donor will need to visit one of our clinics to have their semen analysed.
Your donor will also have to have blood tests, attend counselling provided by TFP Fertility UK and sign consent forms.
After they’ve been approved as a sperm donor, they must come with you or your partner to the clinic on the day of egg collection.
While they’re at the clinic, they must produce a sample of sperm. This will then be quarantined for three months.
Once this period has passed, the sperm will be thawed on the day its required. It’ll then be used to fertilise the collected eggs.
How long will I have to wait before I can use donor sperm?
If you find a donor and you’re happy to move ahead, you can start treatment straight away.
How many donated sperm will I receive?
Our treatment packages for IVF, IUI and ICSI using donor sperm include enough sperm for one treatment cycle.
If you use sperm from an external bank, we can store excess sperm for future treatment. An annual storage fee will apply.
Can I reserve sperm to have more children from the same donor?
Yes, if the sperm are available this is something we can discuss during your consultation.
We also include embryo freezing as part of all our fertility treatments, so any high-quality embryos remaining after an IVF cycle can be stored for future use.
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