The donor you don't know is usually donor sperm that you receive at a clinic.
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Currently there is an Australia-wide shortage of donor sperm, therefore the choice of donors is limited. Victoria is the only state requiring the details of all sperm donors to be recorded on a birth register. Western Australia has a voluntary register, and clinics in other states may impose specific requirements on the use of donor sperm. For example, you may be forced to find your own sperm. In addition, in Victoria, the Infertility Treatment Authority (ITA) has established a Donor Treatment Information Register (the Voluntary Register), where any of the parties involved in a donor treatment may apply at any age to find out or provide information about those with whom they are biologically linked. The ITA can only provide information that is available on the Voluntary Register.
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Men who donate their sperm at a fertility clinic do not have any rights or parenting responsibilities, including child support and inheritance, and do not appear on the child's birth certificate.
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Donor insemination at a clinic and the law in Victoria
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The law in Victoria currently restricts donor insemination (as opposed to IVF) to married or de facto (heterosexual) women, except where donor insemination can be regarded as treatment for medical infertility. In other states such as New South Wales, Tasmania, ACT and Queensland there is no such legislation, so a Victorian woman can travel interstate for insemination. The costs for donor insemination can vary and you really should check current costs with the clinic you are considering.
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If you have been accessing donor sperm at an interstate clinic but without success, the clinic will eventually refer you (usually after about six attempts) to a specialist to investigate your fertility.
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If you have been trying to self-inseminate without success, you can ask your GP to refer you for investigation of your fertility.
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Accessing donor insemination clinics in other states
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Each clinic has its own way of doing things but increasingly clinics will use the method that is most likely to achieve pregnancy.
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The variations amongst clinics are as follows:
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- Some clinics will perform a laparoscopy and establish that you have no obvious fertility problems prior to the first donor insemination. Others will wait until after three to six insemination attempts.
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- Some clinics require you to take fertility enhancing medications.
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- Some clinics will offer two methods of insemination - either onto the cervix or intrauterine (through the cervix), which is more effective but less comfortable.
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- Some clinics will only offer the latter method because it is more likely to achieve a pregnancy.
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Importing international sperm
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It may be possible to import sperm to an interstate sperm bank. The costs vary and change but can be several hundred dollars per vial (you would potentially need up to six vials) and upwards of $1000 in shipping costs. There is also a further cost (around $300) to return the cryo-preservation container. (These are estimated costs only.)
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The ITA must give permission to import sperm into Victoria.
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The conditions include:
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- the sperm has not been paid for at commercial rates
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- the donor's identity must be lodged with the clinic
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- the donor must be counselled by a Victorian counsellor about the legal requirements in this state.
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Commercial sperm banks in Victoria are not keen to meet these conditions.
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Donor insemination clinics in other states may allow you to import sperm. You would need to be booked into that clinic and have their written agreement that they will accept international donor sperm.
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Selecting the best donor insemination clinic for you
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A number of things will influence your decision to go to a particular clinic. It may simply be a matter of convenience, or indeed economics. After all, for some women, it will involve a monthly airfare. But if you are in a position to choose, there are a number of questions that you may want to consider when you are speaking to the clinic. It's up to you to decide what things are important to you.
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- What is the statistical rate of pregnancy per cycle at the clinic?
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- How many individual donors have donated to the sperm donor bank whose sperm can be selected?
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- What kind of information is released to recipients about the donors to inform their selection?
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 | - Where do the donors come from (country of origin, ethnicity)?
| - What medical or family history is available?
| - What is the donor's pre/post thaw sperm count and motility?
| - Has this donor produced live children and how many?
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- What is the maximum number of families and/or children born for each donor?
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- Can a donor's sperm be reserved for future attempts/pregnancies?
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- Are donors anonymous and can their details be accessed at some time in the future?
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- Will the clinic accept known donors?
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- Will the clinic accept donor sperm imported from international sperm banks?
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- How much is charged per insemination or per cycle?
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- What tests are required of women before they are accepted into the program?
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- What form of ovulation tracking does the clinic suggest?
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| | | - ultrasound monitoring of follicle development
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- What after-hours access to advice is available?
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- How many inseminations are suggested/allowed per cycle?
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- How many insemination cycles can be carried out before laparoscopy is required?
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- Is there a choice about the method to be used - onto the cervix or intrauterine (through the cervix)?
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More about counselling
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Clinical insemination of any kind is intrusive, demanding and expensive. Prior to treatment there is a requirement for any prospective parents to attend counselling. Counselling provides you with an opportunity to talk through important issues, ask questions and clarify your own commitment and capacity to undergo treatment and to have children.
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Issues that may come up in counselling:
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- how and when to tell the child of their donor sperm conception
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- your understanding of what the medical treatment involves
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- what your emotional reactions to this may be
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- disclosure issues, such as, who knows about your treatment and identifying your supports
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- work issues related to your treatment and pregnancy
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- coping with other people's pregnancies and births while you are trying to get pregnant
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- differences in the way partners deal with the emotions of having treatment
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- matching to an anonymous sperm donor
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- future treatment options should conception not be successful through insemination techniques.
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Counselling also introduces you to someone you can turn to for support during the process of trying to get pregnant.
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If you have a known donor and are planning to have his sperm frozen and be inseminated by an interstate clinic or through IVF (because you are infertile), the clinic will often require you and your donor to attend counselling together.
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Disclaimer
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The Royal Women’s Hospital does not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or use of such information or advice) which is provided in this booklet or incorporated into it by reference.
We provide this information on the understanding that all persons accessing it take responsibility for assessing its relevance and accuracy.
Women are encouraged to discuss their health needs with a health practitioner.
If you have concerns about your health, you should seek advice from your health care provider or if you require urgent care you should go to the nearest Emergency Dept.
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Published 2003, last updated May 2008
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