5 Tips To Finding The Perfect Sperm Donor
The term sperm donor refers usually to a male specimen that donates his semen to assist couples who are unable to conceive a baby naturally. People often take it for granted that they will be able to have kids one day.
Sperm donation can be used for various reasons such as:
- When a male is infertile
- Being a single woman that wants to have a baby
- LGBT couples
The advantage of sperm donation is a selfless act of bringing joy and happiness to a family that is struggling to conceive. The disadvantage of sperm donation is to continually be committed and dedicated to the process and often resulting in altering your lifestyle in many ways; for example; your sexual health ; screening for mental health issues and genetic testing.
Here are 5 helpful tips when choosing the perfect sperm donor:
#Research:
It is important to run a broad search to avoid eliminating the “perfect” potential match. Once your search is completed, you can narrow it down to your own specification that meets your overall criteria.
#Will the sperm donor be known or unknown:
This is a very important step when choosing your donor. One has to be mindful and consider your child’s future. In many cases, the donor is not the child’s biological father and has no parental rights to the child. Therefore, it is crucial to decide whether or not the donor will remain anonymous or be known to the child in the near future.
#Having the right support system:
This goes hand-in-hand with the above-mentioned step. Once your sperm donor has been chosen it would be advisable to seek professional advice from a social worker, psychiatrist or psychologist. By getting professional advice and having the right support would be helpful when deciding to inform the child about who their donor is.
The advice can be centered around:
- How and when to inform the child about the donor
- Will the donor be present in the child’s life?
- Will the donor have an open relationship with the child?
#Medical History:
The donor will be tested to ensure that there are no defects or illnesses. Be sure to search for someone that has no genetic conditions in order to have a healthy baby as possible.
#Characteristics / traits:
For many, there are certain characteristics and traits that we want our children to have. You may decide that you want a donor that may have a genetic blend of both parents. Try and center your focus on the “must haves” from the list/ criteria that you prepared. It is highly unlikely that you will find someone that will meet your standards, but choose wisely the one that has ticked most of the boxes of your criteria.
“One thing I can tell people who are looking into finding a sperm donor is that you really need to be 100% with the donor you pick. It’s a commitment, and it is not easy. It is draining on you, your body, your emotions, mental health and your partner”, says Navil Barahona.
Sperm donation can be a lengthy process and you need to consider the legal implications. Take as much time as possible when doing this process. Do not feel discouraged when you do not find the “perfect” donor.
