Published on 9 Jan 2026

Guide to the Sperm Donation Process and Clinic Screening Steps

I recently discovered how many myths and half-truths are floating around about sperm donation when a close friend told me he was thinking about donati...

Guide to the Sperm Donation Process and Clinic Screening Steps

ng to help pay off student loans. I thought I knew the basics. I absolutely did not.

So I went down the rabbit hole: I talked with clinic staff, read guidelines from major fertility organizations, sifted through published studies, and even visited a sperm bank to see how the process actually works. This guide is the result of that deep dive — the version I wish I’d had before those conversations started.

I’m not your doctor or your lawyer, and I’m not here to push anyone into donating (or using a donor). I’m just walking you through what really happens, what clinics screen for, and what surprised me along the way.

Why People Donate (and Why People Use Donors)

When I tested my assumptions with real clinic staff, I realized sperm donation isn’t just broke-college-guy-meets-quick-cash.

Why donors step forward:

Some genuinely want to help people build a family — especially LGBTQ+ couples or single parents by choice.
Others are motivated by compensation, which is fair to acknowledge. In the U.S., it typically ranges from about $70–$150 per donation, depending on the bank and city.
A few have personal stories: a sibling with infertility, or they were conceived with donor sperm themselves.

Why recipients use donor sperm:

Male-factor infertility (low count, poor motility, or genetic issues)
Single women or women in same-sex relationships
People at high risk of passing on serious genetic conditions

When I sat in a fertility clinic waiting room, what struck me was how normal and un-dramatic everyone looked. No wild movie plotlines, just people trying to solve a very human problem: how to have a baby safely and realistically.

Who Can Become a Sperm Donor?

Every clinic and country has its own rules, but some patterns are pretty consistent.

Guide to the Sperm Donation Process and Clinic Screening Steps

In my experience reviewing multiple clinic websites and talking with staff, typical requirements include:

Age range: usually 18–39, with many banks preferring 18–34.
General health: non-smokers or light smokers (often asked to quit), healthy BMI, no major untreated chronic conditions.
Sexual health: low-risk sexual behavior, consistent condom use with new partners, no recent STIs.
Family medical history: no strong history of severe genetic or hereditary conditions.

Clinics don’t just eyeball this. They run donors through a structured, multi-step screening.

Step 1: Initial Application and Interview

The first surprise for me: how many applicants get turned away before even giving a sample.

Most sperm banks start with an online intake form. It usually covers:

Medical history
Family health history (parents, siblings, grandparents)
Lifestyle: alcohol, drugs, travel, tattoos, sexual behavior
Education and background

If that looks acceptable, there’s often an in-person or virtual interview. One clinic director told me they reject over 90% of applicants by the end of the full process. They’re not looking for perfection, but they’re incredibly risk-averse.

I watched one donor consultation where the coordinator bluntly said: “We’re basically trying to predict if your DNA or your habits could cause serious problems 10, 20, 30 years from now.” That’s the level of caution.

Step 2: Semen Analysis (The First Real Test)

Once past the questionnaire, the potential donor gives an initial sample on-site.

Behind the joking, there’s serious lab work going on. The semen analysis looks at:

Volume – how much semen is produced.
Sperm count – how many sperm per milliliter.
Motility – how well they swim (progressive vs non-progressive).
Morphology – shape and structure of the sperm.

Most banks follow World Health Organization (WHO) reference values or stricter internal targets. For example, the 2021 WHO manual uses a reference lower 5th percentile for “normal” semen parameters, but sperm banks often set their bar higher because they need sperm that survives freezing and thawing.

When I spoke with a lab tech, she mentioned something I hadn’t considered: some men have decent sperm on fresh analysis, but their sperm doesn’t tolerate freezing well. Those donors get screened out too.

Step 3: Infectious Disease and STI Screening

If the semen checks out, then things get pretty medical.

Clinics routinely screen for:

HIV-1 and HIV-2
Hepatitis B and C
Syphilis
Gonorrhea and chlamydia
Often CMV (cytomegalovirus)
Occasionally Zika, depending on travel history and region

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies donor sperm as human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) and sets specific testing requirements.

One detail that donors often don’t realize: many banks have a quarantine period. Donations are frozen and held (often for 6 months), and the donor is re-tested for infections before samples are released for use. That way, they can catch infections acquired shortly before the original testing.

The downside? This delays when donor sperm is actually available. The upside: it significantly cuts the risk of transmitting infections.

Step 4: Genetic Screening and Family History Deep-Dive

This is where things go from “simple donation” to “full-on medical detective work.”

Most reputable sperm banks now do some version of genetic carrier screening. When I reviewed a few common panels, they typically included conditions such as:

Cystic fibrosis (CFTR gene)
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMN1)
Fragile X (often in egg donors, but some banks include it)
Sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies

Some banks do expanded carrier screening with 100+ or even 200+ genes. That doesn’t mean those donors “have” those diseases; it means they check whether donors are carriers.

Why this matters: if the intended parent or partner is a carrier for the same condition, the risk of having a child affected by that condition can jump significantly (often 25% for many autosomal recessive disorders). Clinics sometimes recommend genetic counseling when there’s a match.

When I spoke with a genetic counselor, she emphasized that:

> “No test can guarantee a baby without health issues. We reduce risk; we don’t erase it.”

I appreciated that honesty. Genetic screening is powerful, but it isn’t magic.

Step 5: Psychological and Lifestyle Evaluation

This part surprised me the most when I sat in on an information session.

Many clinics either:

Have donors complete psychological questionnaires, or
Offer/require a brief session with a mental health professional.

The main goals are:

Assess motivation: Is the donor being coerced? Do they understand what it means to have genetic offspring out there?
Screen for mental health conditions that might have a strong hereditary component.
Clarify expectations: What if laws change? What if a donor-conceived adult reaches out in 20 years?

For recipients, clinics often recommend counseling too. It’s not just a medical decision; it’s an emotional and ethical one, especially around disclosure to future children.

Step 6: Donation Schedule and Long-Term Commitment

Once a donor fully clears screening, they’re not just dropping in occasionally.

From what I’ve seen at multiple banks:

Donors are usually asked to commit to a set schedule — sometimes weekly — for 6–12 months, sometimes longer.
They need to abstain from ejaculation for a set period before each donation, often 2–3 days, to optimize sperm quality.
They’re re-tested for infections at regular intervals.

Compensation is usually per usable donation, not per visit. If a sample doesn’t meet quality standards, it might be discarded and not paid.

There’s also typically a limit on the number of families that can use a donor’s sperm, to reduce the risk of accidental consanguinity (biological relatives meeting unknowingly). These limits vary by country and even by clinic.

Anonymous vs. Open-ID Donors

When I first looked into this, I assumed everyone was anonymous. That’s changing fast.

Anonymous donors: Historically, recipients would never know the donor’s identity, and the donor wouldn’t know the offspring.
Open-ID / Identity-release donors: Donor-conceived adults can request identifying information once they reach a certain age (often 18).

With consumer DNA testing (think 23andMe, AncestryDNA), the practical reality is that lifelong guaranteed anonymity is increasingly unrealistic. Several donor-conceived adults have found biological relatives through these databases even when the original donor program was “anonymous.”

Clinics I spoke with are pretty candid about this now: they advise donors and recipients not to rely on anonymity as an absolute.

Pros and Cons of Sperm Donation (For Donors and Recipients)

In my experience talking with people on both sides, the reality is nuanced.

Potential benefits for donors:

Financial compensation
Helping individuals and couples build families
Optional health insights from genetic and medical testing (some donors learn about unknown carrier status)

Potential downsides for donors:

Time commitment and repeated medical testing
Possible emotional impact — knowing biological children may exist
Loss of guaranteed anonymity due to DNA testing
Rare but real anxieties about future contact

Potential benefits for recipients:

Path to pregnancy where traditional conception isn’t possible or safe
Access to extensive medical and genetic screening data
Choice between anonymous and open-ID donors (depending on jurisdiction)

Potential downsides for recipients:

Emotional, ethical, and sometimes cultural complexity around donor conception
Cost — donor sperm and fertility treatments can be expensive
No absolute guarantee about long-term health of the child
Legal parameters vary; parentage laws differ by country and even state

I’ve seen clinics handle this best when they’re transparent about both sides, not just the feel-good stories.

Red Flags and How to Choose a Reputable Clinic or Bank

When I compared different sperm banks, a few green flags and red flags emerged quickly.

Positive signs:

Clear explanation of screening protocols on their website
Compliance with national regulators (FDA in the U.S., HFEA in the U.K., etc.)
Access to genetic counseling
Real human support staff who’ll answer detailed questions without being cagey

Concerning signs:

Vague claims like “highest quality donors” without specifics
No mention of infectious disease re-testing or quarantine
No clear statement about limits on number of families per donor

If a bank or clinic dodges questions about their screening steps, that’s your cue to run, not walk, to another provider.

Final Thoughts: What I Tell Friends Now

When friends bring up sperm donation now — as donors or recipients — I don’t just say “Yeah, they test you a bit and that’s it.”

What I say is more like:

It’s medically rigorous and much more selective than most people think.
It’s emotionally and ethically layered, not just a quick gig.
And it’s one of the most structured, highly screened ways that modern medicine helps people have kids.

If you’re considering donating, go in with eyes open about the long-term implications.

If you’re considering using donor sperm, ask every question you can think of. Get the clinic to walk you step by step through their process. A good provider will happily show you exactly how seriously they take screening.