We are delighted that you have shown interest in donating. By building a bank of fully screened donors we are able to match donors to recipients by physical characteristics and ethnicity. It is only with the contribution of amazing donors that we are able to continue our important and life changing work here at The Hewitt Fertility Centre. Donor numbers have declined in recent years and it is now, more than ever, that we need your help.

Quote from Hewitt Fertility Centre sperm donor:

“The time commitment was never a problem and everyone was extremely professional and made me feel comfortable”

Why is sperm donation needed?

Sperm donation offers hope to same sex couples, single women and heterosexual couples who previously thought they could never have children.

In the case of heterosexual couples the male partner may have no sperm either due to illness or due to genetic problems. In certain cases the man may have undergone chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment for childhood cancer. These treatments can damage their testes and their ability to produce sperm.

By building a bank of fully screened donors from a range of backgrounds and ethnicities we are able to match donors to recipients by physical characteristics.

Who are potential donors?

Those who:

  • Are fit and well between the ages of 18 and 44
  • Are a non-smoker
  • Know or are able to provide family medical history
  • Have photographic identification e.g. passport or driving licence
  • Understand that HFEA-registered donors are potentially identifiable to any conceived children, but will not be legally responsible to

We do not exclude donors based on religious beliefs, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

What are your legal rights as a donor?

The law around donors was changed in 2005 so that all new HFEA-registered donors are potentially identifiable to any conceived children, once the child has reached the age of 18. This will only happen if the child submits an official request to find out this information and the donor would receive notification letting them know that this request had been submitted. Until then, the only information the recipient and child have access to is non-identifying information such as your height, weight, hair and eye colour. They will receive a brief written personal statement that we will have asked you to provide during your donation.

Donating through an HFEA-licensed clinic like The Hewitt Fertility Centre means you will not be legally responsible for any child born as a result of your donation.

Identity protection; all of our donors are given a unique code; any screening tests sent to other laboratories will have this code in place of your name.

Reimbursement for your time and expenses

The Hewitt Fertility Centre will compensate donors with a total fixed sum that amounts to £45 for each clinic visit. This is not a payment for your sample but simply an amount to reimburse you for your time and any expenses you have incurred.

Donors will receive an initial £20 reimbursement immediately following each clinic visit. Once you have completed your final screening visit (see step 5 below) a final reimbursement for an additional £250 per visit will be issued in one full amount.

Example: If you visit the clinic 10 times in total, you will receive £20 each time you visit, and on your final clinic visit you will receive an additional £250 which accounts for the remaining £25 for each visit - amounting to a total of £45 per clinic visit.

What is the process of sperm donation? 

  • Step one:

    Once we have received your enquiry form you will be invited to attend a convenient appointment at The Hewitt Fertility Centre within 2-4 weeks. A member of our team will discuss with you in more detail the sperm donation process and you will provide your first sperm sample to assess your sperm count.

    If your sperm sample meets the standard required we will contact you to move on to step two.

    We will contact you via email if we are unable to accept you as a donor, offering you a clinic appointment should you wish to discuss your results further.

     

  • Step two:

    At your next appointment (2-3 weeks after your first appointment) you will have a consultation with one of our doctors to discuss your medical history and family medical history. Urine and blood samples will be taken to test for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, other sexually transmitted diseases, and various genetic conditions.

  • Step three:

    You will be given an appointment (2-3 weeks after you have seen one of our doctors) to meet with a member of our counselling team to discuss the long-term consequences of becoming a sperm donor. For example, it is important to remember that any child that is conceived using donor sperm has the legal right to approach the sperm donor from 18 years of age. Counselling is a requirement for all of our donors, we need to ensure you are provided with the necessary information to make a fully informed decision.

     

  • Step four:

    If all screening results are within acceptable ranges, we will arrange convenient times for your donation appointments to then begin the process of banking sperm which will be frozen and placed in quarantine. We initially ask you to bank 10 samples.

    When you bank your 10th sperm sample, we will ask you to also produce a urine sample for screening. What is termed the ‘quarantine period’ now begins, this is a 90 day period.

     

  • Step five:

    After the 90 day period, we will contact you to arrange an appointment for a final consultation and screening. During your donor journey, we will support you in the writing of a donor profile. This will give you the opportunity to leave a good will message to those born through your donation, and for those considering using you as their donor. Patients may select you  as their donor based on their individual requirements and your donor profile; your sperm will be used for a maximum of 10 families, but will not be restricted to one child per family (for example one family may choose to use the same donor during treatment for siblings in the future).

How to become a sperm donor?

If you would like to take the extraordinary step to help a patient create a family of their own please fill out the donor form below, providing your contact details. You can also get in touch with us if you have any further questions before completing the below form.