Sperm donor-ship. It’s always a topic which makes our ears prick up, mostly because it’s just so fascinating. Who, where and how are always details we’re secretly intrigued to learn about.
The truth is however that sperm donation isn’t really much of a secret anymore. An ever-increasing number of single women, infertile couples and same-sex partners rely on donated sperm to realise their dream of being parents.
Today, exactly how we choose to get sperm and the arrangements we can enter to do so are more varied and available than ever.
We’ve spoken to the experts and done the research so you don’t need to. Here’s 9 facts you didn’t know about online sperm donor-ship in Australia.
You can get sperm for free online.
So, you want to be a mummy but there’s not a baby daddy insight. Or you’re a family of two mummies. Or you’re struggling with fertility. Whatever your situation, you can get sperm online at no cost via a website. Place an advert, set your requirements and the rest is between you and him.
How much is sperm if you buy it?
Of course, if you’re looking for a donor you can still choose the traditional yet expensive route of a clinic. Presentation at a sperm bank can cost upwards of $1800 but includes counselling and freezing of the samples. For many, the free online option is a more budget-friendly and affordable option and allows them greater accessibility over a longer period.
Being a sperm donor means no legal obligations to a child.
Like to be a donor but don’t want to be a dad? That’s entirely possible. Sperm donor law is under state jurisdiction. In NSW, a child born from donated sperm is deemed the child of the birth mother and donors are under no legal or financial obligation to the child.
But there’s other arrangements for making babies. Like co-parenting.
Hang on. What?! To put it most simply, you want a child, he wants a child. But you don’t want to be in a relationship. That’s one way some people choose to now be parents. Literally, like sharing a baby co-parenting is 2018’s way of going it alone – but with someone. You can find a potential co-parent online and see if you think you could raise a child together.
It’s like dating websites for those who want children…
There’s no swiping left or right but many modern sperm donor or co-parenting sites are just like parenting dating websites. You read the profiles, look at the possibilities and decide whether that person could be just what you’re looking for.
You can legally ‘home inseminate.’
Home insemination is legal and possible. And it doesn’t actually mean having sex with your chosen donor or co parent. It can save a lot of money but takes a lot of prior planning and requires a ‘home insemination kit’. Some data shows that pregnancy success rates are higher with the insemination is carried out at home rather than in a fertility clinic. This could be explained by the variable of using fresh rather than frozen sperm but some suggest it’s also that the recipient feels more relaxed in a familiar environment.
What’s in a home insemination kit?
If you’re game enough to try home insemination (or even just curious) you’ll need a kit containing digital thermometers, fertility tests, ovulation tests and pregnancy tests, as well as a number of syringes, semen containers and urine containers. Timing is everything when it comes to home insemination so it does require ample planning but can save the recipient a lot of money.
You can’t legally be paid to be a sperm donor.
If you’re thinking that donating sperm might be your ticket from rags to riches, unfortunately you’re wrong. Under Australian law it is illegal to take payment for human tissue including sperm and embryos, although you can be reasonably reimbursed for your travel and medical expenses.
