Donor Sperm Insemination

ACFS has a very busy, successful and active donor sperm program. The use of donor sperm is always a choice and may be due to the fact that the woman's partner has a zero sperm count and elected not to do a testicular biopsy to check for sperm, did a testicular biopsy and no sperm were found, the sperm parameters are so low that IVF-ICSI is the only option and they choose not to do it for religious or financial reasons, or are in a same sex relationship.

We work with a number of certified cryobanks in the country, mainly California cryobank (CCB), http://www.cryobank.com, as well as having our own donor sperm. The highest level standard setting body for tissue banks in the nation is the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) established in 1977. To be accredited by the AATB the tissue bank must submit to comprehensive on-site inspections. These inspections are designed to assure that the bank is professionally managed, appropriately staffed and has put in place policies and procedures to provide consistent quality of care. To date, only a few sperm banks in the nation have been inspected by the AATB. All 3 California Cryobank Reproductive banks, that ACFS uses, are accredited by the AATB. Some sperm banks who have not been inspected claim they "meet" or "exceed" AATB standards. The only way to confirm that a sperm bank meets AATB standards is through the inspection and accreditation process.

ACFS offers, through CCB, a large and varied selection of donors to choose from with all different physical characteristics and ethnic backgrounds. At California cryobank, as with any other certified sperm bank, "sperm bank donors are hand-picked and screened intensely, following all FDA guidelines and more, before being accepted into our donor program. The quality of CCB's donors is the foundation of our service, with less than 1% of all applicants making it through the selection process. Potential donors are subjected to an exhaustive medical, genetic, and psychological screening - as well as a detailed examination of their background and family medical history. CCB screening is detailed and far-reaching to ensure that our clients are provided the best of the best".

Prior to doing donor sperm insemination, ACFS follows all guidelines by the FDA concerning the use of third party tissue/donor sperm, donor eggs or donor embryos. These guidelines are established for the safety of the woman and her partner, and ACFS will not do donor sperm insemination before all testing on the woman and her partner is done; nor should a woman have donor insemination at any facility that does not do all the testing.

Insemination can be done on a woman's natural cycle or on a stimulated cycle with fertility medications. By using fertility medication, Clomid or gonadotrophins, you can increase success rates and reduce the number of cycles needed to achieve pregnancy. This is not to say, that a woman cannot be successful on her first or second attempt at insemination on her natural cycle, just statistically, insemination, with super-ovulation-IUI with fertility medication is quicker and more successful. ACFS believes that a couple should be given all their options on how they can do insemination and once they understand the pros and cons of each choice, risks and complications, finances and time commitment, then they should choose the best treatment option for them.

(PDF) ACFS Donor Insemination Agreement