PARENTING TIME FOR GIVING
Ms Toyin Jegede, Donor Recruitment and Campaign Officer for the London Sperm Bank, looks at why men donate sperm, and the requirements for donation…
When recruiting sperm donors, the most important part of the job is to ensure that we recruit men who genuinely want to come on to the programme for altruistic reasons and who are sympathetic to the circumstances surrounding the need for a donor.
A study carried out by researchers
Damien Riggs and Laura Russell in June 2010 took a close look at the profiles of 1,428 sperm donors to determine their motivations for donating. They concluded that the two most significant reasons guys choose to donate were altruism and, particularly for men who had not already fathered children, a desire to procreate and pass on their genes. The study also indicated that men in same-sex relationships were more willing to consent to identity release than men in heterosexual relationships.
There is a misconception that sperm banks turn away gay men because they are seen as a high-risk group. However, at The London Sperm Bank, we recruit men from a variety of different social backgrounds. Perhaps because of the many misconceptions surrounding sperm donation men are put off by myths that are not true. We often find during the recruitment process that once men are provided with accurate information and facts they go on to complete a course of donation and stay committed to the bank. We believe that if they were armed with the relevant information, many more men could be recruited.
To be considered you simply have to meet the following criteria: n Be aged 18-45. n Be healthy and free from infectious or hereditary disease. n Be able to make 20-25 donations over a 3-6 months period.
The first step to becoming a donor
would be to book an appointment to come into our clinic for a semen analysis and test freeze. This is crucial in ascertaining whether your sperm is suitable for freezing. During this visit you will also be asked to provide blood and urine tests to complete screening for sexually transmitted (STD) and hereditable disease.
Some of the things that you could do to improve your sperm quality are: n Adopt a healthy lifestyle, with a balanced diet and regular exercise. n Don’t smoke or use recreational drugs. n Keep alcohol consumption within recommended limits. n Avoid exposure to sexually transmitted disease by adopting safer sexual practices such as using condoms and reducing your number of partners. n Treat underlying medical conditions:
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an untreated infection of the reproductive system or urinary tract can cause infertility in men. For example, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may lead to reduced sperm motility, and repeated STI infection may lead to scarring, which can block the passage of semen. Some infections have no symptoms besides infertility. n Reduce your stress levels as stress can have an impact on sperm quality.
As a sperm donor, you can expect
regular and comprehensive health checks (semen analysis, STD and genetic screening) as well as a fee of £35 per donation (in line with the recent changes made by the HFEA relating to payment of donors, which takes affect from the 1 April 2012). There’s also the knowledge that you are among the 5% of men who are actually accepted on to the programme following our meticulous screening process.
If you would like more information
on how to become a sperm donor at the London sperm bank, please contact
info@londonspermbank.com or call 020 7563 4305. You can also visit our website on www.londonspermbank. com
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