Sperm Donor Conception

Who is a candidate for donor insemination?

Donated sperm is typically used for family-building in cases of male infertility, by single women, same-sex female couples, and trans couples.

How does donor insemination work?

At RMA of New York, patients work exclusively with certified sperm banks that comply with strict FDA regulations. These regulations require comprehensive screening for all donors (anonymous and directed) for infectious and sexually transmitted diseases. All donated sperm is quarantined for a six-month period before use to rule out the presence of disease. The majority of sperm banks also screen sperm donors for genetic disorders, medical conditions, and mental health. They also perform background checks and may require sperm donors to take a personality test.

Sperm banks carefully evaluate anonymous donors prior to joining the program. Fairfax Cryobank, one of the largest and most trusted banks, accepts fewer than 1% of applicants into its program, ensuring that the donors are of the highest quality. Anonymous donor sperm is typically prescreened and quarantined, and available immediately. Each sperm bank has its own policy regarding the extent of information required of anonymous donors, so it is important for patients to connect with their respective sperm bank directly if they have specific questions about their donor’s history.

RMA of New York partners with Aligneage Fertility, a boutique clinic offering personalized and evidence-based andrology services, to test and screen directed donors. Patients planning to use a directed sperm donor will need to factor the six-month quarantine period into their family-building timeline.