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Sperm Donor

Sperm donors may either be known donors (a friend or family member) or anonymous donors (usually sourced from a sperm bank).

It is important to know that Australian law dictates that children conceived through the use of donor gametes (sperm, eggs, embryos) are able to access identifying information about their donor when they turn 18 years of age. In order for an Australian IVF company to be able to use a man as a sperm donor, the man must consent to having their name and details entered on a donor registry, to facilitate any children conceived through the use of their donated sperm being able to contact them at a later date.

Australian law also regulates against the payment of gamete (sperm, egg, embryo) donors. All donations must be provided altruistically.

In addition to federal laws, there is also state based legislation that limits the total number of families an individual donor’s gametes can be used to create. In NSW, there is currently a limit of five families, in the ACT there is a limit of ten families.

It is possible to access donor sperm through IVF Australia. The first step is to arrange a consultation with me. At this consultation, I will arrange a full fertility assessment to ensure that there are no obvious issues that would preclude you from conceiving. You will then be placed in contact with the donor co-ordinator at IVF Australia. As part of the process, you will be required to undergo a counselling session with the IVF Australia counsellors. If you are using a known donor, the donor will also be required to undergo a counselling session. The counselling sessions are important to ensure that everyone involved in the process has a good understanding of their rights and obligations, and forethought is given to any situations that may arise in the future and how these situations will be handled.

All donors undergo serological testing (including testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV) prior to providing the semen specimen. This sperm is then quarantined for four months, after which time the serological testing is repeated on the donor to ensure that seroconversion has not taken place during this time. Depending on the quantity and quality of the sperm provided, and the results of your own fertility assessment, pregnancy may then be attempted using either intra-uterine insemination of sperm or by utilizing IVF techniques.

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