Donor insemination (DI) is the process of inseminating a woman with sperm obtained from a donor. The sperm is usually obtained as a frozen specimen from a sperm bank or may come from a known sperm donor.

Most women seeking donor insemination are doing so because they are single, are homosexual, or their husband does not produce sperm.

Donor insemination is usually performed in natural cycles without the use of any fertility medications. If a woman has already attempted donor insemination in natural cycles and has been unsuccessful, a fertility evaluation may be warranted and fertility medications may be recommended.

The Donor Insemination Process

Once a woman has decided that she would like to undergo donor insemination, she must select a sperm donor from one of several sperm banks. While there are many sperm banks in the United States, Pacific Fertility Center most commonly refers patients to one of the following banks:

California Cryobank at www.cryobank.com

Faifax Cryobank at www.fairfaxcryo.com

Sperm Bank of California at www.thespermbankofca.org

ZyGen Laboratory at www.zygen.com

A woman may work with most certified sperm banks of her choice. Sperm banks vary widely in the number of donors available, the ethnic diversity of donors, as well as the information available on the donors, including family medical history and availability of donor identification. Certified sperm banks must meet specific requirements for infectious disease testing of their donors. In order to virtually eliminate the risk of transmission of infectious disease through donation, sperm is "quarantined." The sperm donor is tested for infectious diseases, donates the sperm and the sperm is frozen and held at the sperm bank for six months. The donor is then re-tested for HIV before sperm is released to clinics and patients.

Some women prefer to perform the insemination in the privacy of their own home. When this is the case, the female patient administers an intra-vaginal insemination on herself. If a woman prefers that a physician execute the procedure, the sperm is shipped directly to our office from the bank and is stored until the appropriate time.

Infertility specialists recommend intrauterine insemination because the chances of successful conception are higher if timing of exposure to sperm is controlled, and if sperm is placed in higher numbers closer to the egg(s). As we perform intrauterine inseminations on a frequent basis at our clinic, we request that the selected sperm be prepared at the sperm bank before it is brought to Pacific Fertility Center for the intrauterine insemination. However, we will process the sperm at PFC for an additional fee if you and/or the sperm bank are unable to accomplish this.

The patient is responsible for contacting the sperm bank, selecting the donor, and paying the sperm bank directly for the sperm and shipping. The sperm to be used for the procedure is shipped to our center in a cryovial that we immediately transfer to our liquid nitrogen storage tanks. The sperm is held in this frozen state until the day of the insemination. On the day of the procedure, the laboratory thaws the vial(s) of sperm, performs a sperm count and evaluates the percentage of motile sperm in the specimen to ensure the best possible results.

Please click on the following link for a full description of Intrauterine Donor Insemination.

Using Sperm from a Known Sperm Donor

In some cases, a woman may know a friend who is willing to donate his sperm for purposes of her conception. Obviously, this raises the question as to what role, if any, the donor will play in parenting the child if conceived.

Because of the potential issues involved with parental rights and responsibilities, Pacific Fertility Center strongly recommends that both the female patient and the sperm donor construct a contract that outlines their rights to parenting and responsibilities to the child prior to insemination. We are happy to refer you to a professional skilled in the preparation of legal contracts if necessary.

In addition, Pacific Fertility Center requires that both patients involved in donor insemination attend at least one session of counseling with a family therapist or psychologist familiar with issues that may arise given the sensitivity of the arrangement. We have a family counselor onsite available to meet with patients in our clinic , or we can refer you to other counselors in the Bay Area if you prefer outside assistance. In either case , the counselor must speak in person or by telephone to both the donor and the recipient of the donor sperm before the doctor will proceed with the insemination.

If a female patient is using a known sperm donor (KSD), he will have to be tested and screened according to the FDA regulation governing Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue Based Products (21 CFR Part 1271). Diseases for which he will be tested include: HIV, HTLV, RPR, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, CMV, Chlamydia and Gonorrhea. Screening requires that he complete a health questionnaire and receive a physical examination.

Sperm for insemination must be frozen, with infectious disease testing occurring no more than 7 days before or after the time of sample collection. Results of the testing must be available prior to the scheduled insemination. It is optimal for men to abstain from ejaculation for 1 to 3 days prior to sample collection. However, abstaining for more than 5 days can result in decreased motility of the sperm.

The sample will be thawed prior to the insemination and placed into the uterus using a very fine catheter. The insemination procedure takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Studies demonstrate that one well-timed insemination per cycle is as effective as two inseminations per cycle, so most clinics—including Pacific Fertility Center—perform a single insemination per cycle.

Preparing for a Donor Insemination Cycle

After the initial consultation with your infertility specialist, you and your doctor will devise a treatment plan. Women who have regular menstrual cycles will likely schedule the following tests: an early cycle FSH, an estradiol blood level, IgG Rubella (German measles) immunity, as well as Varicella (Chicken pox) immunity. Some women will need additional testing so that their doctor can evaluate their reproductive health, as well as identify any barriers that might interfere with conception. Finally, we require documentation of blood type for all patients.