What are sperm banks?
Sperm banks, despite appearances, are not armored rooms with red lasers like from James Bond, they are laboratories with large refrigerators containing donor sperm in test tubes.
The donor sperm is largely donated to couples who are involved in the in-vitro process. As well as for sperm banks, where the donor can use them at a later time, even after 25 years. Soldiers who go on dangerous missions in remote parts of the world also give their semen.
What are oocyte banks?
Egg banks, similarly to sperm banks, contain test tubes of reproductive materials, this time female. These laboratories are mainly used by embryologists, i.e. specialists who deal with human embryonic development and study cells and their fertile capabilities.
Who Can Benefit From Banks?
Banks are used by couples who cannot get pregnant with their reproductive cells due to their lack or a high risk of genetic diseases or cancer. Treatment of infertility and the possibility of using reproductive cell banks is granted by the doctor during the first consultation at the clinic. According to Polish law, single women cannot use sperm banks as each child must have a father and a mother.
Who can donate semen?
A group of donors that meet the criteria can donate semen from a bundle. The main conditions include the right amount of sperm in the semen (at least 40 million per millimeter) with adequate mobility. The donors can be mainly people up to 20-35 years of age, with a correct BMI (Body Mass Index) value, with a healthy lifestyle, without addictions and cannot be genetically or virologically burdened. The influence of whether it is possible to donate is also important for education. It is believed that the best donors are those who already have children.
What tests does a man have to do?
Czy dawca nasienia otrzymuje wynagrodzenie ?
Zgodnie z prawem w Unii Europejskiej nasienia są oddawane nieodpłatnie. Nie przysługuje mu żadne wynagrodzenie poza rekompensatą za poniesione koszty, w postaci dojazdu, konieczności wzięcia urlopu w pracy. Kwota rekompensaty zazwyczaj nie przekracza 1600 PLN.
Anyone willing to donate sperm must undergo a series of tests for sexually transmitted diseases and more:
-HIV-I and II,
-syphilis (WR),
-gonorrhea (GC),
-Viral hepatitis, type B and C
-Chlamydia
– blood type
-karyotype (46, XY)
What does egg / sperm donation involve?
From the moment the donor is qualified, the donor must follow strict hygiene measures and may not have intercourse during the testing process.
What are the criteria for a woman to donate reproductive cells?
As in the case of a man donating sperm, a woman must possess the appropriate biological characteristics that enable her to become a donor. The first condition is age, a woman between 18 and 35 can apply for the procedure. It must be a person without addictions, with a minimum secondary education, completely healthy, with a normal BMI. Another criteria are the genetic conditions that are tested by a given clinic with a bank
Is the egg donor getting paid?
In accordance with applicable law, the donor is not reimbursed for tests, such as damage to health related to hormone therapy, travel to the clinic or taking a day off due to a visit. A woman participating in the program can get up to PLN 4,000.
What tests should be performed before donating the reproductive material?
Before performing the procedure, the doctor prescribes a series of tests that determine whether a person qualifies, in the case of a woman there are much more of these tests than in a man:
-genetic, including: carrier of autosomal recessive diseases, i.e. cystic fibrosis (CFTR), spinal muscular atrophy (SMN1) and congenital hearing loss (GJB2) and karyotype assessment,
-virological (e.g. for the presence of HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C),
-bacteriological (e.g. USR, towards chlamydia, mycoplasma),
-gynecological,
-psychological.
Egg donation procedure
A woman completing the questionnaire via the website is scheduled for consultation, where, after initial verification, a questionnaire is filled in with the phenotypes (eye color, height, body structure, blood type, hair color) – these are the data on the basis of which couples choose donors. All personal data, in accordance with Polish law and the European Commission, remain anonymous.
The person concerned is also sent for a psychological consultation to confirm their willingness to participate in the procedure. After the final qualification, the hormonal simulation begins – the aim of which is to obtain as many eggs as possible, suitable for fertilization or freezing. The mature cells are collected by puncture and sent to an embryologist.
Hormone qualification and simulation takes about a month.
An eligible donor may donate cells once or more than once. He can participate in the process up to 6 times.
