Sperm Donation

London Sperm Bank

London Women’s Clinic’s sister company, London Sperm Bank (LSB), is UK’s leading provider of donor sperm.  Since its opening in 2010, nearly 2,000 men have been registered to donate sperm, leading to the creation of thousands of families.  LSB receives 15-20,000 applicants annually, and less than 2% end up qualifying as donors.  LSB introduces new donors to its online catalogue every week.

High quality donor sperm

Women having treatment with donor sperm at the London Women’s Clinic have all benefited from excellent service and high-quality sperm from the London Sperm Bank.  Aside from the mandatory HFEA requirements, all donors undergo additional medical screening tests and sperm must be of good quality and able to survive freezing.  All London Sperm Bank sperm samples meet, and often exceed, the World Health Organisation accepted standards for sperm donors.

Choosing the right donor

London Sperm Bank understands the importance of choosing a donor who is right for each individual patient. That’s why specialist donor coordinators aim to provide a wide range of donors from a variety of different backgrounds. The donor coordinator team is trained to find out about donor personalities, interests, hobbies and those qualities which make them human.  LSB receives 15- 20,000 applicants annually, and less than 2% end up qualifying as donors.  New donors are introduced every week and often go very fast due to the UK’s restrictions on maximum families per donor.  The sperm can be selected and purchased via LSB’s online database.

Alternative sources of donor sperm

In the unlikely event that we are unable to meet your requirements via the LSB, there are a number of other options available to you. These include purchasing sperm from another UK centre and importing sperm from overseas. Both can be done, if procedures are in accordance with HFEA requirements. Patients considering using donor sperm from an alternative bank should contact the laboratory of their chosen LWC clinic following initial consultation to ensure that the donor is UK and HFEA compliant. Please note that we are unable to accept donor sperm from non-EU countries.  In some cases a special license may be required. Please contact the clinic directly to find out more.

Known sperm donation

Some patients consider sperm donation from a friend or family member.  This type of 'known donation' can be quite reassuring for the patient, who is secure in the knowledge of the donor's identity.  Your known sperm donor will need to have a semen analysis to determine the quality of his sperm. He will also need to have a test freeze and, if this is successful, the sample will be screened for common sexually transmitted diseases.  If the sample is suitable for freezing and treatment, your known sperm donor will need to complete a number of further blood tests before the donation process begins.  'Intrafamilial' donation can raise ethical difficulties and counselling is always essential.

Counselling and legal advice

For all patients considering treatment using donor sperm, counselling is always necessary to ensure they are fully aware of the UK's legislation on the identity of sperm donors. All children born as a result of donor sperm in the UK have the right at the age of 18 to know the donor’s identity.