The Screening Process

A directed donor is an individual who stores sperm for a designated recipient who is not his intimate partner or spouse. A known donor is a directed donor whose recipient has chosen to waive the recommended six-month quarantine of the donor’s semen samples. Click here to find out more detailed information on the differences between directed donor and known donor accounts, legal considerations, and more.

At THE SPERM BANK OF CALIFORNIA (TSBC), we encourage recipients to be involved in the directed donor screening process from the very first visit in order to ensure clear communication between all parties. It’s helpful if the recipient and her donor can come in together for the donor’s first storage appointment. When the recipient lives in another state, it’s important that she consult by phone with her TSBC healthworker/case manager. The recipient and donor will have joint decisions to make regarding the donor’s screening, how many storage visits the donor should make, and whether to wash his semen samples for intrauterine insemination (IUI) prior to storage.

Recommended First Step: We recommend that every directed donor schedule a semen analysis and test thaw appointment with TSBC prior to storing sperm. At this appointment, the donor provides an ejaculate for evaluation only—the ejaculate is not stored and can not be used for insemination. Our lab will perform a complete semen analysis on the sample, freeze it, and thaw it a week later to assess cryo survival. The semen analysis indicates the donor’s general fertility, and the test thaw indicates how well the donor’s sperm survives freezing (anywhere from 50% to 80% of sperm die in the freezing process). Based on the results, the TSBC healthworker will be able to recommend whether the donor is a good candidate for sperm banking.

Screening Requirements: TSBC follows sperm bank regulations, which impose strict screening requirements on all donors who store semen samples in order to reduce the risk of passing on sexually transmissible infections through insemination. We require that the donor completes testing for sexually transmissible infections through our own lab, and we will collect blood, urine, and semen samples at the time of the donor’s first storage visit. We also require directed donors to complete an HIV risk assessment form; a personal and family health history form; a medical examination (which must include a genital exam for indications of sexually transmissible infections); and blood testing to identify blood type and Rh factor.


Initial Requirements


• Medical/Physical Exam: Every Directed Donor is required to complete a physical examination, which must include a genital exam for indications of sexually transmitted diseases. This exam must have been completed no more than twelve months prior to the first storage appointment. The donor has the option of completing the exam either with his own doctor or with TSBC’s contracting physician. If the donor’s personal physician performs the exam, s/he must document the results by completing our Directed Donor Medical Exam form. The donor must bring the completed form to the first storage appointment. If TSBC’s contracting physician performs the exam, the exam must be completed before the first storage appointment. Please call us for information about how to schedule an appointment with our contracting physician.


• HIV Risk Assessment form and Personal and Family Health History form: The donor must complete these forms by the time of the first storage appointment.


• Blood Testing: The donor must have a blood draw at the first storage appointment to determine his blood type and Rh factor and to screen for the following sexually transmissible infections: HIV-1/2, HTLV-1/2, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and CMV.


• Urine Testing: The donor must provide a urine sample at the first storage visit (urine samples must be provided prior to semen samples) to be screened for chlamydia and gonorrhea.


• CMV: Please read our page about Cytomegalovirus (CMV) for details. If the donor’s blood test results indicate that he is positive for CMV antibodies (many adults are), we will require that he have a follow-up CMV urine test to ensure that he is not currently infectious for CMV. It takes a full thirty days to obtain the results of a CMV urine test. If the recipient is concerned about expediting the release of her donor’s samples, she may wish to schedule the donor for a CMV urine test at the time of his first storage appointment.


• Genetic Testing: Please read our page about genetic testing for details on this option. TSBC does not require directed donors to have genetic testing unless the sperm is being shipped to New York State (New York Tissue Bank regulations require genetic testing of directed donors).


We find it helpful if the recipient and her directed donor can both be present at the first storage appointment. If this is not possible, the recipient should complete the following forms and return them to TSBC before the directed donor’s first storage appointment.


• Recipient Information form

• Informed Consent for Recipient of Directed Donor Semen

• Waiver for Recipient of Known Donor Semen (if applicable)


Exit Screening Requirements


• Exit blood draw: Directed donor semen samples are quarantined for six months (180 days). The donor must have an exit blood draw six months after his final sample donation to enable the release of samples. This blood draw screens for the following sexually transmissible infections: HIV-1/2, HTLV-1/2, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and CMV. If the donor is positive for CMV antibodies, we also require an exit CMV urine test.


• Known donor semen samples are not quarantined, but it can take up to three months for the screening requirements to be completed. We do not guarantee that a known donor’s samples will be releasable any sooner than three months after the first storage appointment.


• If storage visits extend over a period longer than three months (for either known donors or directed donors), the donor must repeat all the initial testing for sexually transmissible infections. If storage visits extend over a period longer than one year, the donor must update his Personal and Family Health History form, complete another medical exam, and complete another HIV Risk Assessment form.


Our phone counselors are available during business hours to answer any questions you may have.