A certain fertility clinic has interestingly mentioned a heap of qualities that should mark a sperm donor. He is supposed to be “intelligent, creative, charismatic, one who embodies passion and enthusiasm in every area of his life.” These are all qualities that are required in a sperm donor apart from the usual physical characteristics. It has been found that sperm donors come from all walks of life and they can well have a wide array of personality, value and skill.

There are a lot of men who file applications to become a sperm donor. Amongst them usually just 5% clear the criteria.

Criteria for Disqualification of Sperm Donor 

Given below are a few conditions that immediately cause a disqualification of a potential donor.

Susceptibility to Diseases - Clinics are very particular that the person who wants to become a sperm donor is free from certain diseases. Even if anyone in the family of the potential donor is known to have suffered from cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anemia, the person is disqualified.

Homosexuality - Men who lead a homosexual life or who engage in sex with other men cannot become a sperm donor. 

Drug Addiction - If the man is found to be an intravenous drug user, he is immediately disqualified.

HIV Infection - If the person is found to have visited areas that have a good number of HIV cases, or have engaged in sex with women or men who are residents of those areas, are not eligible to become a sperm donor.

Before the donor obtains clearance, they need to go through a meticulous screening procedure. They need to fill in a lot of questionnaires, undertake a number of blood screenings and specimen screenings along with a comprehensive physical evaluation and a precise genetic analysis.

Procedure for Sperm Donor’s Screening 

The screening process can be categorised into:

Family Background Check - A detailed interview about the sexual behavior of the person is taken. This includes a check on the family background and the clinic would like to have satisfactory reasons on why the man is interested in sperm donation.

He is expected to clearly answer queries related to his family history. In certain cases, the clinics might ask questions related to three generations preceding him. The information gathered is then evaluated. 

Semen Analysis - The specimen semen is collected for semen analysis. The sperm count is checked along with two other important factors like sperm cell motility and normal sperm morphology.

Medical  and Genetic Tests - The potential sperm donor must have clear results for HIV, Hepatitis B and C apart from several other associated tests. The ABO-Rh factor blood typing is also carried out.A genetic testing is also done to see whether the sperm would be a potential carrier for cystic fibrosis.

The clinic or the sperm bank takes eight weeks to six months before giving a clearance certificate for sperm donation. According to regulations, a donor is eligible to sire for ten successful pregnancies. Sperm donation is mostly motivated by money than any altruistic thoughts.

The Sperm Collection Process

The donor is taken to a private room which is fairly stocked with pornographic materials. He is instructed to masturbate and collect his semen in a sterile container. This sample is then mixed with cryo-preservative solution. After dividing it in aliquots, it is sealed in vials and frozen with liquefied nitrogen. This frozen semen sample is stored at a cool storage (-321 ^o F). As per requirement, the semen is used during artificial insemination.