If infertility has prompted you to consider using a sperm donation center to conceive, you should pay attention to a few factors before choosing one. Among the most important details is which screenings the sperm bank in question performs in order to ensure the health of each donor. You should also find out whether the sperm donation center keeps track of the medical history of donors, as this information is often helpful both during the pregnancy and after the child is born. In addition, if you are fine with your child trying to make contact with the sperm donor after reaching the age of 18, try to find a center that allows this.
Most reputable sperm donation centers require a series of medical screenings before anyone donates their bodily fluids. A full physical exam is usually the first step in ensuring good health, and this is often followed by inquiries into the family history. If you are adamant about having a healthy child, you should find a sperm donation center that not only requires good overall health, but also absence of most infectious diseases and genetic disorders. Doing so can typically protect your child's health, as this process can help you avoid choosing a sperm donor with incurable or harmful conditions that can be passed on to their offspring.
While such screenings are often crucial, it is also considered helpful to have a record of the results. This is because even donors who are quite healthy may still have minor conditions that are rarely passed on, or easily managed. You will likely want to know about them, even if they do not typically affect the donor's chances of being chosen. This is because you typically need to know your child's father's medical history when filling out paperwork for the pediatrician. Even if the donor merely suffers from allergies, mild asthma, or similar manageable conditions, you will likely need this information for your child's own health.
Children who do not know one of their biological parents often become curious about the missing family member, and may want to meet them at some point. If you are comfortable with this possibility, try to find a sperm donation center that encourages donors to allow their offspring to one day contact them. Of course, some sperm donors may not want to be found, in which case the center typically needs to respect their wishes. For this reason, you should consider only choosing from donors at the sperm donation center who have agreed to possibly being contacted by their progeny in the future.
