Sperm donation is a process of collecting and preserving sperm for immediate or future use. It is fertilized with an egg and hence results in pregnancy. Some Sperm donors get a decent pay for their donation. Hence, maybe “donation” is not the correct term here as it is associated more with charity for the well-being of others. Though, this is another day’s debate. There are a lot of myths about sperm donation existing in society.
Sperms are a part of your body and donating them will have an impact on your physical as well as mental health. But as for some sections of society, talking about all this is still not appropriate and comfortable. This leads to assumptions and people are still very misguided about sperm donation. But if you are going to donate sperm in the near future, you should be aware about how it goes with your body.
Continue reading to know some of the myths about sperm donation which will put your mind at ease.
Myth 1 – Anyone can donate sperm
A lot of factors are important before selecting a sperm donor. Not everybody can be a donor. An ideal donor has to meet some requirements that are checked up so that the sperm bank can determine his physical and mental health. It is checked whether the potential donor has any Sexually Transmitted Disease (STDs) or not. Family health history plays an important role so that the sperm doesn’t inherit any genetic disease. Mental condition of the potential donor is examined too. Also, basic things like if the potential donor is physically fit or not is taken into consideration as well. Residence of the donor plays a role too, if he lives near the donation center or not. Other than that, every sperm donation center has its own policies.
For example: at California Cryobank, donors have to have a college degree or should be enrolled in the college currently.
Myth 2 – Men with “handsome” traits are more in demand.
People often think that a man with features of a Greek good like 6 feet height and good looks will be considered first to be the donor. Although the situation is very different. It usually depends upon the couple as to what kind of genes they want for their child. Some people ask for an intelligent guy with a good family background, while some ask for donors of the same geographic region. Many couples want the donor to have some features like the father only.
Hence, “men with good looks are more in demand” is just one of the myths about sperm donation.
Myth 3 – “Nobody’s gonna know”
The process of sperm donation is not completely anonymous. For very obvious reasons, potential parents would want to know the donor and about his life. At many sperm donation centers, you need to go through a series of assignments like writing an essay about yourself, your hobbies, your family and past life a bit. Couples may get very specific and particular about whose sperm they want to conceive their child as those genes will be passed along.
Hence, sperm banks ask for some personal information to build a donor profile to attract the couples. Some banks may ask for your childhood picture, voice recording etc.
Myth 4 – The process is easy
The process isn’t that simple as going there, donating, collecting payment and leaving. That’s not how it works. If they are going to pay you, they’ll make you go through a lot of screenings, tests and assignments before donating. Firstly, you need to go through some basic requirement checklists like height, weight, education etc. Once you pass that, the center will examine you physically and mentally. It can involve history of your past three generations, STD checkups, blood draws, a personality assessment test and much more.
Then only they’ll determine if you can fulfill the requirement for the desirable sperm or not. hence being it easy is one of the many myths about sperm donation
Myth 5 – It doesn’t affect your sex life.
It’s not like you can’t have sex once you donate. But it doesn’t mean you are free with your sex life. Being a sperm donor is a commitment. A donor can’t ejaculate 24-48 hours before arriving at the center for the donation. So, in case you have a partner, and your sex life is active, you will have to sort out your plans.
Myth 6 – If you donate once, you become a donor for life.
Just because you cleared all the tests and became a donor today, doesn’t imply that you can donate forever. If you donate once, take a break as if you decide to donate again, you’ll have to go through all the process and tests again. It doesn’t matter that you were once a donor or not. This is because time can change a lot. Maybe you get physically weak or catch an STD and can be completely unfit for the process.
Conclusion
Sperm donation is not as easy as it may seem. It’s a hope for so many couples who face issues while conceiving a baby. Keep learning about it before becoming a donor. You should be well aware of what you are putting yourself into and how the process goes. Make sure you do not rely on what the society says. Always choose a safer side for yourself.