There are so many ways to move forward on your family planning journey, and while some people go the traditional route of fertility and family planning, there are so many beautiful ways to start a family. Whether you’re an LGBTQIA+ couple, you’re navigating fertility challenges or you’re planning for a pregnancy without a traditional romantic partner, finding a sperm donor might be in your future, and you probably have questions about what you need to get there.
If you’re thinking about finding a sperm donor for your fertility journey, it might feel like you don’t know where to begin. No matter where you are on your journey, you can embark on the unique process of finding the right sperm donor for you and your family. There are so many ways you can learn everything you need to know and find the sperm donor that will work right for you. Here’s what you need to know about finding a sperm donor.
Why You Might Need One
There are a variety of reasons why you might want to go with a sperm donor. Whether you’re dealing with male infertility, you’re an LGBTQIA+ couple, you’re doing in vitro fertilization, going about the process as a single mother or even if you want to avoid health risks that run in the family, going with a sperm donor might be for you. No two families are alike, so going with a sperm donor could very well be a part of many peoples’ journies.
Doing Any Necessary Tests
If you’re planning on going about a sperm donor situation for your family planning, you could be doing it for a variety of reasons, as stated above. One of the first steps in the process itself is going about any necessary tests your doctor or clinic recommends so you can get your health in check before you go about the process. While you might be dealing with male or female infertility, you should be sure of your situation before you spend time, money and effort on a donor. Every person and body is different, and you should always consult with your doctor before you start a process like family planning.
Finding a Fertility Clinic
Once you’ve decided to start family planning, you might wonder where to start and how to do it. While your primary doctor or OB-GYN can help you along the way, you’ll need to find a fertility clinic that can work with your needs and plans. You can ask your doctor for a recommendation or ask around to find a fertility clinic in your area that you feel comfortable working with. Once you have a team of trusted professionals working with you, they can guide you through the process of finding the right donor and starting your family planning.
Know Your Priorities
Here comes the exciting part: you need to think about what you want in a donor! You’re picking the genetic material that will form the other half of your child, so it makes sense that you might already have some priorities in mind. Think about things like family health history, intelligence, physical appearance and whether you want to find someone who mimics your romantic partner. Some cryobank donor websites even offer childhood photos of the donors so you can have an idea of what your baby may look like.
Personal Connections
There are a few routes that you can take to finding a sperm donor, and one of them is through personal connections. Some people prefer this option for a number of reasons. Whether you want to have a family friend involved in the process similar to a godparent, or you have a partner with a sibling who can offer to be the donor so you can still share a genetic connection. If you have someone you know who you already want to be the donor and you’ve agreed on the idea, you can go to your fertility specialist, clinic or doctor and take the next steps together.
Cryobank Donors
The other popular option is to go through a cryobank, which you can do through a fertility clinic. Here, you’d scroll through potential donors and learn a bit about them in order to find the right fit. This is a great option for those who don’t want a highly personal connection to the donor, or who don’t have a specific donor in mind.
Ordering Your Sample
Through your fertility specialist and cryobank, you can then order a sample from the donor of your choice. If you have someone specific in mind from your personal life, that person will go into the clinic to give a sample, and the process will go from there.
Finding a Sperm Donor
Everyone’s family planning journey is unique. Whether you’re an LGBTQIA+ couple, a single parent or you’re navigating fertility challenges, finding a donor can be a great way to move forward in your fertility journey. Finding the right donor is all about choosing what you want for your family.
