25th Nov 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Some see it as recreation but actually you can make a decent amount of money from donating your sperm.
Healthy sperm from donors that are considered to have good genes and an impressive education are in demand. It’s also not difficult to donate.
Sperm Donation
Some people need to use donated sperm to start a family. This can be for a range of reasons.
- It may be because of a man producing sperm that is of a low quality, or not enough sperm or that they carry a genetic condition that they do not want to pass on to their child.
- Single women and women in same-sex couples also need donor sperm to start their own families.
You can also choose to donate your sperm to research surrounding infertility, genetic disease and fertility treatments.
how much can you make from sperm donation?
It is illegal to pay sperm donors more than their reasonable expenses in the UK.
But this doesn’t mean you won’t be compensated for your time and travel.
Sperm donors receive around £35 per clinic visit to cover their expenses.
There is sometimes more available if your expenses for travel, accommodation or childcare are higher than this.
Things you should know about donating your sperm
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about sperm donation:
Can you donate sperm anonymously?
No – the law surrounding donation was changed in 2005.
This means that anyone conceived via the help of a donor can ask for the name of their biological father, his date of birth and his last known address when they turn 18.
Do I have any legal rights or responsibilities for children born through my donation?
No.
Providing you donate through a licensed UK fertility clinic; you won’t have any legal rights or responsibilities to children conceived via donation.
You won’t have a say in their upbringing and no legal requirement to help with their care.
However, if you donate outside of a clinic the situation could become more difficult as you may be considered the legal father of the child.
You can read more about the laws surrounding sperm donation here.
Am I eligible to donate?
Donors should be aged over 18 and under 46.
In some special cases, an older donor may be allowed if the clinic feels it is unlikely that there will be serious consequences from the donated sperm.
You will also need to have various health checks including checking for HIV and Hepatitis. These can take up to six months.
What is the Sperm Donation process?
Personal information:
The clinic you work with will ask you to provide them with some personal information.
Some non-identifying information will be given to prospective parents at the time of donation.
Any children born from your donation will be able to access non-identifying information at the age of 16. When they turn 18, they can apply for your identifying information.
You will also have the opportunity to write a personal description to help potential parents make their decision
Health Tests:
You’ll be tested for certain diseases, including serious genetic diseases before you can donate.
Clinics carefully consider the welfare of the unborn child to prevent them from developing serious medical conditions.
It is also important to tell your clinic about any problems in your or your family’s medical histories as failing to do so could lead to legal action if a child born from your donation inherits it.
Counselling:
The clinic you use is legally required to offer you counselling before you donate.
This is to allow you to talk through the implications of your donation and how it could affect you and your family in the future.
Consent:
Before you donate you must consent in writing. You can withdraw or change your consent at any time up to the point at which your sperm is used in treatment.
Donating:
You normally have to visit the clinic once a week for between 3 – 6 months to make your donation.
Once your donation has been collected it will be frozen for use in treatment, research or training.
Can I find out if my donation has been successful?
You can apply to find out if your donation has been successful. You may receive the number of children born, their gender and their year of birth.
You won’t receive any information that reveals the identity of the child.
Can I change my mind?
You can change your mind about your donation up until it is used in someone’s treatment.
This is true even if you have given consent.
What about the emotional impact of donating?
You will be offered counselling before donating to make sure you are comfortable with donating.
You should remember that at some point one or more children born from your donation may contact you and that you need to be prepared for that.
In the future, you may have a family of your own and you’ll need to think about how to broach the subject with them.
What are the next steps?
If you have decided to donate you should find a clinic that is taking on donors. You can find local clinic via this database.
MoneyMagpie are not an affiliated medical company and are in no way advertising fertility procedures. We are however highlighting that money can be made in this area and also highlighting psychological consideration.
