Donors

There are several forms of treatment that require the use of sperm. It means that a donation could make a huge difference to someone.

Sperm can be required due to:

• Male partner fertility issues, whether that be if there is no sperm present in the ejaculate or ejaculation issues in general
• If a male partner has an inherited disease that could put a potential child at risk
• For any single women who wish to have a child
• For use in treatment for same-sex couples

To qualify as a potential sperm donor, you must be:

• Between the age of 18 and 45
• Have no serious medical disability
• Have no family history of hereditary disorders

If you fit these criteria, then you can fill in our donation questionnaire (found here linked at the bottom of this section) and email it over to the clinic for review at donors@uhl-tr.nhs.uk.

Firstly, thank you for considering donating your sperm with Leicester Fertility Clinic. If you do wish to donate and you meet all the relevant criteria – then fill in the aforementioned form (linked at the bottom of this section) and email it to donors@uhl-tr.nhs.uk. We’ll then get back to you to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists. This appointment may involve producing a semen sample, that would be analysed to assess the quality and quantity. This will help determine your suitability as a potential donor.

If a woman is unable to produce her own eggs or if there is a genetic condition that could be passed on to a child, then a person may wish to use someone else’s eggs to have a baby. This means that donors are crucial in ensuring that parenthood can be achieved by those who felt it was unattainable and can really make a life-changing difference.

To become an egg donor, you need to:

• Be between the ages of 18 and 35
• Live in the Leicestershire area (or can commute regularly)
• Have medical information about your family available
• Be fit and healthy, with no inherited conditions or mental disorders
• Have a body mass index (BMI) between 19-30
• Not be at a higher risk of acquiring HIV, such as if you are an intravenous drug user
• Be available for 6-12 months post-donation for follow up tests
• Not travel out of the country during donation time (due to risks with Zika and Ebola)
• Ideally have proven fertility and be a non-smoker (but these are not essential)

Thank you for deciding to donate your eggs to us. By doing so, you could be giving someone the opportunity to become a parent.

If you do meet the relevant criteria, you’ll still need to fill in our Egg Donor questionnaire and email it over to us at donors@uhl-tr.nhs.uk so we can do an initial assessment. This could then lead to an appointment in-person. Alternatively, you can also call us at 0116 258 5944.

If you decide that you have come to the end of your own fertility journey and would like to begin supporting someone else’s, then donating an embryo can be one of the kindest and most rewarding ways to help another person. Your embryo could give someone else the chance to start a family of their own. If you have therefore just completed an IVF or ICSI cycle and have some embryos left over, you could opt to donate them for this programme.

If you decide you would like to get involved, you will need to complete an Embryo Donation assessment form and email it to donors@uhl-tr.nhs.uk. We will then discuss your options through an initial appointment and your case will be heard at a Clinical Review Meeting.

Should you be accepted as a donor, additional blood and urine tests will be required, as is the case for all donors. Counselling will also be available, so that you have a continual stream of support and fully understand the implications of donation.

The clinic also has no wait time for donors – so treatment can commence whenever is convenient for you.

We are aware of the stresses and worries that may go hand-in-hand with both fertility treatment and heading out of the country. At our centre, we aim to support you throughout the process of embryo and gamete donation overseas, offer counselling and consultations, provide investigations and drug therapy and give you follow up appointments and procedures once your treatment has concluded.