Today we will tell you what sperm donation is. You will find out who can become a potential donor, what requirements are presented and where exactly the material is being donated.
general information
Despite the existing problems in married couples, sperm donation in our country is not as popular as abroad. However, the use of germ cells in in vitro fertilization centers has become a very common and effective practice.
Infertility, which is associated with the problems of producing your own hormones, is the most complex disease. In most cases, it is not possible to solve such a problem. That is why sperm donation will never lose its relevance.
Spread
To pass their material, it is not necessary for the representatives of the stronger sex to come to the capital of our Motherland: almost every region of Russia has its own sperm bank.
It is believed that obtaining the necessary material for its further use by the in vitro fertilization center is relatively easy, but serious medical institutions that engage in such practices approach the issue of donation with particular responsibility.
Sperm donation is more common than egg donation, although in both cases the receipt of the material, there are medically justified stringent requirements.
Where should the seminal fluid be taken?
Sperm received from the donor is stored in a special bank. This is a kind of repository where the material is not only processed, but also frozen in liquid nitrogen.
As a rule, sperm banks are organized at medical facilities. Often, married couples freeze seminal fluid for those cases if, with artificial insemination, the husband is physically unable to be present in the clinic. Submission of material to a sperm bank is advisable before certain medical procedures that may lead to infertility in a man (for example, before antitumor therapy, removal of the testicles, etc.).
It should also be noted that the phrase "sperm bank" is used only in popular literature. As for departmental documents, the term “cryostorage” is used there.
In what cases do they apply to the bank?
Fertile couples, single women and those people who have serious hereditary diseases most often use frozen seminal fluid . By the way, by order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development, the sperm of a man can be used for fertilization only after six months in a sperm bank.
Who is a sperm donor ?
A sperm donor is a person who provides their seminal fluid to others to treat infertility. Representatives of the stronger sex do not assume any parental obligations in relation to the unborn child.
Donor approval
Absolutely any young person can come to the sperm delivery site, but not everyone has a chance to become a donor. This is due to the fact that the material for its further use in the in vitro fertilization center is taken only from those men who meet all the requirements of medical institutions. If all your data was collected on time, and the test results were normal, then you may well be approved as a potential sperm donor.
Requirements for Potential Donors
Sperm donation, the price of which depends on the chosen medical center, is anonymous in the Russian Federation. Only healthy men who are in good physical shape, with proven fertility, aged 20 to 36 years can give their material.
A potential donor is required to submit a sample of his semen for analysis. A suitable material is one with 1 ml of which contains more than 80 million sperm. In addition, their activity should be estimated at 70-80%.
By the way, sperm are frozen before direct use. In this regard, experts check in advance whether the material can withstand freezing and thawing.
Donor Semen Requirements
Each sperm bank in Moscow and other Russian cities makes special demands on the material received:
- the proportion of progressively mobile forms should be more than 60%;
- sperm concentration in 1 ml of material - more than 80 million;
- the proportion of morphologically normal forms is not less than 60%;
- sperm volume should be more than 1 ml.
In addition, cryotolerance plays an important role, that is, the survival of sperm after prolonged freezing and subsequent thawing.
Potential Donor Survey
Any sperm bank in Moscow, as well as in other cities of our country, accepts material only from approved donors who have passed the necessary examination.
Thus, if you want to donate your semen for further use in the in vitro fertilization center, then you need to do:
- a blood test for STIs (this includes: ureaplasmosis, cytomegalovirus infection, mycoplasmosis, gonorrhea, herpes, chlamydia), which is valid only 6 months;
- blood test for hepatitis C and B, syphilis, as well as HIV infection.
In addition to blood tests, a study of the genetics of a potential donor is required. This includes: the study of the karyotype, that is, changes in the sex chromosomes, as well as a test for cystic fibrosis. It should be noted that genetic testing is a key point when deciding on the approval of a candidate. If a representative of the stronger sex has a tendency to certain genetic abnormalities, then he will be denied.
To one degree or another, sperm donation (the price will be presented below) is widespread throughout the world. However, such a procedure involves a full examination of a potential candidate. And this applies not only to his physical data, but also to psychological characteristics. So, some medical institutions include a conversation with a psychologist in the mandatory testing program. The specialist’s task is to find out how much the representative of the stronger sex understands the essence of what is happening. The potential donor is also explained how and for what purpose his genetic material will be used in the future. After the conversation, the man is obliged to bring certificates to the clinic stating that he had never been registered with the addiction clinic and was not treated by a psychiatrist.
It should also be noted that any donor sperm bank must require the results of his spermogram from a potential candidate. Using this research method, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of seminal fluid are determined with high accuracy.
Conservation Technologies
Absolutely all men who decide to become donors are interested in where to get sperm tests. As a rule, the study of such materials is carried out by ordinary clinical laboratories at medical centers.
After the candidate is approved and his seminal fluid is accepted, the material is frozen. However, before this glycerin is added to the semen (approximately 10% of the total volume). This component acts as a cryoprotectant.
Material with glycerin is placed in a special container for freezing, which resembles a test tube, a straw or sachet.
Bringing sperm to low temperatures takes place in 2 stages. Slow cooling is first performed. To do this, the seminal fluid is placed in a refrigerator with a controlled temperature, which should reach -35 ...- 70 ° C. At the second stage, quick cooling is performed by immersing the tube in a vessel with liquid nitrogen.
Features of Frozen Sperm
Frozen seminal fluid can retain its fertilizing properties for many years. To use the material, the container is removed from liquid nitrogen, placed in a container of warm water and waiting for complete thawing.
After the sperm has returned to normal temperature, a cryoprotectant is removed from it. To do this, use multiple reprecipitation of seminal fluid in a centrifuge with the replacement of the material with a nutrient medium.
Sperm Bank Registration Procedure
How much does sperm donation cost? This question is of interest to so many representatives of the stronger sex who decided to donate their seminal fluid to the appropriate center. It should be noted that donor services are paid in several stages.
Firstly, a potential candidate must pass all the necessary medical tests and tests. If their results satisfy reproductologists, then the man signs a small number of relevant documents that govern the duties and rights of both parties. Only after receiving the contract on hand, the donor is allowed to direct delivery of seminal fluid.
How much does sperm donation cost?
In our country, on average about 500 rubles are paid for the first delivery of seminal fluid. The relatively low cost of the material is primarily due to the fact that specialists have placed the semen in quarantine for 6 months. If the seminal fluid for one reason or another does not stand the test of time, then the decision on donation changes. If the outcome is successful, then the man receives another 1000 rubles.
So what income can you get from submitting your material to a sperm bank? Using simple calculations, it is easy to calculate that one serving of seminal fluid for an IVF center costs about 1,500 rubles. Depending on how often a man passes sperm, a month he can earn up to 13-14 thousand.
Features of sperm delivery
Sperm donation (St. Petersburg, Leningrad region and Moscow) is a fairly popular way to earn money. However, men who voluntarily donate their material to the IVF center need to carefully monitor their health, because donation does not tolerate inattentiveness to themselves. In order for the quality of the seminal fluid not to fall and remain at a high level, the representative of the stronger sex needs to lead a healthy lifestyle, avoid drinking alcohol, do not smoke and selectively treat their sexual partners. By the way, before the direct delivery of sperm should refrain from sexual intercourse for 3-4 days.
Artificial insemination
After the sperm donor and the material itself undergo a thorough study and also pass all the necessary tests, the seminal fluid is used for its intended purpose.
After appropriate consultation, a married couple who needs material should fill out an agreement confirming their consent. Then the doctors examine the woman, during which it is determined whether she has any abnormalities that would interfere with the insemination. After that, experts observe the menstrual cycle of their client, as a result of which they determine the best time for her fertilization. Typically, a catheter is used for this procedure, through which the prepared sperm is inserted into the cervix. In some cases, a woman is given a special medicine to guarantee ovulation.
Fertilization Watch
Within 10 minutes after the seminal fluid was injected into the cervix, the woman should remain motionless. At the same time, the partner is invited to be present next to his companion. As a rule, about 2 weeks should pass to determine the success of the procedure. In most cases, this time is stressful for both partners.