5 Reasons to Become a Sperm Donor

There are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to be a sperm donor. Yes, sperm donors are compensated for their time and the donation itself, but there’s more to it. The fact is sperm donors play a very important role in the lives of those couples who use the sperm donation to help build their families. At the Fertility Center of California, our sperm donor program has built and maintained close relationships between our laboratory staff and donors for well over twenty years. If you are interested in becoming a sperm donor, but find that you may still be on the fence about starting the process, here are five excellent reasons to become a sperm donor for the Fertility Center of California.

1. Sperm donation helps create and build families

Sometimes the real reason why sperm donation exists in the first place can get lost in all of the usual humor and focus on donor compensation. In reality, sperm donation exists so the donation can be used by a couple who is unable to start a family on their own. Donating sperm is an extremely generous act that can provide the aide that is needed for a couple who is struggling with male infertility issues or an LGBT couple unable to start their family without a sperm donation.

2. Sperm donation is healthy

Yes, masturbation is good for you. Regular masturbation helps to strengthen the muscles in your pelvis floor which aides in the prevention of erectile dysfunction (ED) and male incontinence. It also can increase your immunity as ejaculation has been shown to increase the levels of cortisol (a hormone) that helps to cultivate immunity. Of course, masturbation is perhaps best-known as a source of stress relief. Stress can add up over time and contribute to serious long-term health issues if not properly addressed – masturbation during a sperm donation is an easy way to relieve this stress.

3. Sperm donors are compensated

One of the more well known reasons to become a sperm donor is the compensation. At the Fertility Center of California our sperm donors are compensated $65 for each sperm collection. We require that our sperm donors are willing to provide a sperm donation 1-2 times a week and they must be willing to commit to the program for 1-2 years.

4. Sperm donors review their medical history

During your first appointment as a sperm donor, our laboratory staff will perform a semen analysis in order to determine the health of the sperm, but other medical tests are also performed in order to determine the overall health of the donor. A benefit of this process is that potential sperm donors are tested for a wide array of diseases and infections that otherwise might have gone undiagnosed if not for their interest in sperm donation. A few of the diseases and infections we test for at The Fertility Center of California include:

• HIV I / II Antibody
• Chlamydia
• Tay-Sachs
• Gonorrhea
• RPR (Syphilis)

5. Sperm donors get a chance to review their family medical history

A part of the process of determining who is qualified to be a sperm donor is a review of the potential donor’s family medical history. This provides men with an excellent opportunity they might not otherwise take advantage of if not for the sperm donor requirements. Reviewing your family’s medical history helps discern what potential risks you, as well as any future children you may have could face. You can’t alter your genes, but you can take control of lifestyle choices like diet and exercise. If after reviewing your family’s medical history gives you any cause for concern, don’t stress out before you talk to your doctor about the potential issues.