Donor Sperm Services

 Where to Purchase Donor Sperm From? 

BCRM have a stock of Donors ready to use that meet all the requirements we recommend for treatment and are fully compliant with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) regulations. The Donors we have in stock are supplied by the Sperm Bank, Cryos International. 

If you would like to view the list of Donors we have available at the BCRM please email the Donor Sperm Team at DonorSperm@BCRM.Clinic for the current list of availability. 

We also are very happy to accept Donor Sperm purchased from an external clinic for your treatment use. The BCRM has third party and HFEA agreements in place to import from the below Sperm Banks/Clinics; all of which have thorough screening programs in place with match or exceed UK guidelines. 

If you are purchasing sperm from an external source the process can take several weeks as there are documents to check & complete and clearance to be organised before the transfer of samples can take place. 

Legal Information 

• All UK compliant Donors agree to be identifiable to any child once they reach 18 years of age 

• UK Regulation limits each Donor usage to up to 10 family units; one slot is taken for each family where a live birth is achieved 

• Donor Sperm can be stored in the UK for a maximum of 10 years from the date of initial freeze and must be used within this timeframe. The 10-year period starts when the samples arrive in the UK if purchased from an external Sperm Bank/Clinic. 

Choosing a Donor 

Clinics/Sperm Banks selling Donor Sperm typically allow you to view Donor characteristics such as ethnicity, eye and hair colour, height and weight, and general health details. There may also be general information about the Donor available too. Choosing a Donor for your treatment is a very personal thing, it is important you feel very confident of the choice you make. 

What Type of Donor Sperm and How Many? 

The supplying Clinics/Sperm Banks will offer samples as “ampoules (amps)”, “vials” or “straws”. You will require one sample for each treatment i.e. one cycle of IUI or one cycle of IVF. You may wish to purchase more than one sample if you are considering siblings or for the eventuality that you are not successful on your first attempt. 

BCRM recommend MOT10 samples or above for IVF/ICSI treatments and MOT20 for IUI treatment as research has found higher success rates with the higher motility samples. However, you could use MOT10 for either treatment if you really want to use a particular Donor and MOT10 is all that is available. 

• Our preference is ‘IUI Ready’ and ‘Washed’ samples as these have already been prepared for treatment and are therefore likely to maintain the same quality and quantity of sample as advertised when thawed for use. If the samples are ‘Unwashed’ you must choose MOT20 or above as the samples will require preparation and the quantity is likely to reduce (IVF or IUI). 

• Lower MOT or ‘ART’ samples are likely to lead to the samples being poorer when prepared and this may be suboptimal for your treatment. Please contact us to discuss if your chosen Donor only has limited options. 

• If there are no MOT options, the Clinic/Sperm Bank will be providing samples they are confident are suitable for all treatment types. 

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) 

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that is usually harmless however it can cause problems in babies if caught during pregnancy (congenital CMV). You will have been screened for CMV and be aware of your status; if you are negative, we recommend selecting a CMV negative Donor to remove the risk of infection. If you are CMV positive you may choose either (same sex couples are advised to both undertake the testing if you wish to both undertake treatment using the donor). 

Blood Group Matching 

Blood group matching isn’t important unless you would specifically like to match the Donor blood group to your partner. If you are Rhesus negative, you might like to look at further information about Rhesus disease on the NHS website. 

BCRM Important Considerations 

• The Donor must be UK compliant 

• CMV status of the Donor must be negative unless you are CMV positive yourself 

• MOT20 samples are recommended for IUI treatments 

• MOT10 or MOT20 are recommended for IVF/ICSI treatments 

• One sample is needed for each treatment cycle – you may wish to purchase more for future use 

• You must have an ‘Implications Counselling’ session prior to treatment with a trained Fertility Counsellor 

Cost 

BCRM sample charges are provided with the list of Donor Availability and are inclusive of the sample, family quota and a year’s storage. 

External Donor Sperm costs vary and regularly change, it is best to look at the websites for their current costs. Some clinics quote a single price with everything included, others may charge for the samples, family quota and transport (shipping) separately. The BCRM charges an Administration Fee of £200 (subject to change) for imports outside of the UK which covers the compliance checks, Donor registration and a years’ storage of the sample(s). 

After 12 months, annual storage fees will apply to any samples held in the Laboratory at BCRM. 

Purchasing from an External Source 

Once you have selected a Donor, you will need to purchase the samples directly from the supplying Clinic/Sperm Bank (usually via their website). We would recommend the nitrogen dry shipper option, as the shipper will be cold for 15 -17 days, is a robust metal container which protects the samples in the event of delay e.g. flight delays or Border Control. 

Once payment has been made the Clinic/Sperm Bank will send the relevant Donor information required for processing prior to an import date being agreed. The process can take up to two weeks and is dependant on information from external sources 

What to do when you have made your choice? 

Please email Donorsperm@BCRM.Clinic to inform the Donor Sperm Team when you have purchased your Donor Sperm with the following details: 

• Name, date of birth and BCRM number of the patient who will be undergoing the treatment cycle 

• The name of the suppling Clinic/Sperm Bank (including if this is BCRM) with the Donor name or number, number of samples and MOT type 

Further Help and Information 

The Donor Sperm Team are very happy to help with any queries you have please contact us via DonorSperm@BCRM.Clinic