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Donor Sperm Insemination
Male infertility
In our unit, about 25% of couples have an infertility problem, which is due to the male partner. Although there have been some tremendous advances over the last few years in the treatment of male factor infertility, there are a number of couples for which these treatments are either inappropriate, or unsuccessful. The alternative is to consider the use of donor sperm - sperm obtained from another man.
Donor sperm treatment
The majority of donor sperm that we use in our clinic is provided by donors that we have carefully screened and selected. Very occasionally when we have a couple where the man has particular physical characteristics which cannot be matched by our own donors, we obtain sperm from other licensed sperm donor banks. All men that supply donor sperm are carefully screened for a family history of inherited diseases and medical conditions. They have a full infection screen including two tests for HIV, performed 6 months apart. All the donor sperm that is used comes from frozen samples stored for a period of 6 months quarantine, to allow adequate time for the full infection screen. Although these tests cannot rule out the possibility of a sample of sperm transmitting an infection, the chances are remote. The identity of the men who supply the sperm is anonymous. However, limited, non-identifying information about the donors background is generally available until April 2005.
The government has decided to introduce regulations in Parliament to remove anonymity from sperm, egg and embryo donors who donate from 1 April 2005. This means that people conceived as a result of such donations will have access to identifying information about the donor at age 18.
Selecting the right donor sperm
The donor sperm selected would come from a man who has similar physical characteristics to the male partner, including the blood group if possible. We record carefully the physical characteristics of the male partner, including his hair colour, complexion, build, eye colour, height and weight. These are then matched to the appropriate donor.
Insemination treatment
The treatment itself is very simple. Most women have fairly regular menstrual cycles, varying between 25-35 days. Ovulation usually occurs about 14 days prior to the next menstrual period. If the woman's cycles are irregular, fertility drugs may be given to cause ovulation.
The donor sperm needs to be placed inside the uterus at around the time the egg is released. We determine the time that the egg is released by using a urine testing kit or a series of ultrasound scans.
Insemination technique
A speculum (the same instrument that is used when you have a smear test) is inserted into the vagina to expose the cervix. A small sample of frozen sperm is thawed and placed into the uterus using a small plastic instrument. This should not cause any discomfort.