Clara
· March 2026My husband and i went to Jananam to start the treatment soon after. They organized everything, from A -Z, including accommodations.
Home › Treatments › Donor sperm
TREATMENTS · DONOR SPERM
Donor sperm: a private decision, made with the facts.
Donor sperm is sperm from a screened, anonymous donor, used when a partner's sperm cannot be used. It is placed in the womb (IUI) or used to fertilise eggs in the lab (IVF).
- Donor aged 21 to 55, by law
- From a registered ART bank only
- Donor stays anonymous
- Male partner assessed first
- Donor screened by an ART bank
- Sample frozen and released
- Thawed and prepared in our lab
- IUI or IVF
Is this right for you?
Do any of these sound like you?
Worth discussing if
- No sperm found, even after a surgical check
- A genetic condition we don't want to pass on
- Told donor sperm is the only option, and want a second view
- Several failed cycles because of sperm
PROBABLY NOT YET
A single poor semen report is not a reason for donor sperm.
- You have had one poor semen report. Counts vary from test to test.
- Your partner has not had a surgical check yet. Some men with no sperm in the semen have sperm in the testis.
- You were told donor sperm is the only option. That has to be shown, not assumed.
- You have not had counselling yet. It is offered before any consent form.
None of these? Start with a full semen analysis for him.
01When is donor sperm recommended?
Donor sperm is recommended when no usable sperm can be found, or when a man's sperm would pass on a serious genetic condition.
The common reason is azoospermia (no sperm in the semen) where surgical retrieval finds none or is not possible. Others are very severe sperm problems after other options have failed, and a serious inherited condition. It can also be part of the plan after cancer treatment when no sperm was frozen beforehand.
Honest note
A single poor semen report is not a reason for donor sperm. Counts vary from test to test, and some men with no sperm in the semen have sperm in the testis. Dr Vani's stopping line is "no viable sperm", and that has to be shown, not assumed. (Dr Vani Sundarapandian)
02Is there a sperm bank in Chennai, and where does donor sperm come from?
In India, donor sperm can come only from a bank registered under the ART Act 2021; a clinic cannot recruit a donor itself.
The bank screens the donor, collects and freezes the semen, and supplies it to the clinic. Sperm donors must be between 21 and 55. One donor's sperm is supplied to one couple only.
Legal reference: ART Act 2021 s.27(1) bank only
Legal reference: s.27(2)(a) semen donor 21 to 55
Legal reference: s.27(3) one couple
03How are sperm donors screened?
Sperm donors are tested for infections, checked for inherited conditions, and their semen is analysed before any sample is released.
Screening covers HIV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis, with other tests as the rules prescribe. The donor's personal and family medical history is reviewed. Samples are frozen and released only after screening is complete. The bank matches the donor to you on features such as height, complexion and blood group.
04Is the donor anonymous, and who are the legal parents?
Yes. Under the ART Act 2021, donor information is confidential, the donor gives up all parental rights, and the child is legally yours.
You will not learn who the donor is, and he will not learn who you are. The child is deemed the biological child of the couple, with the same rights as any other child. Both partners sign written consent before treatment.
Legal reference: s.21(e) confidentiality
Legal reference: s.22 written consent
Legal reference: s.31 child's status, donor relinquishes rights
05IUI or IVF with donor sperm?
IUI with donor sperm is usually the first step if the woman's tubes are open and she ovulates; IVF is used when they are not, or when IUI has not worked.
In IUI, the thawed sample is placed in the womb at ovulation, a short procedure with no anaesthesia. IVF is advised for blocked tubes, low egg reserve, older age, or after the agreed IUI cycles. The number of IUI cycles is agreed by age before you start.
Honest note
IUI has a limit, agreed first: "Under 35 with good reserve: 3 to 4 IUI cycles. 35 to 37: 2 to 3. 38 and over: 1 to 2 if reserve is satisfactory. Sooner to IVF if reserve is low or endometriosis is advanced." (Dr Vani Sundarapandian)
| 35 to 37 | 2 to 3 |
|---|---|
| 38 and over | 1 to 2 if reserve is satisfactory |
06Should we tell our child?
Whether to tell your child is your decision, and research on donor-conceived families favours telling early, in simple words.
Children told young tend to take it as part of their story. Children who find out late, or by accident, often find it harder. In India the donor stays anonymous, so you can tell your child how they were conceived, but not who the donor was. Counselling can help you find the words together.
Treatment with donor sperm, step by step.
- 1
Private consultation for both of you 1 visit
History, past reports and what you have been told. We check whether the male partner's assessment is complete.
- 2
Tests Within 1 to 2 weeks
Scan and hormone tests for her, a tubal check if IUI is planned. Repeat semen analysis or a urology review for him if not yet done.
- 3
Counselling and consent As long as you need
You talk through the decision and what to tell a child. Both partners sign written consent.
- 4
Donor matching Wait told at consultation
The registered ART bank matches a donor on features and blood group and sends a screened frozen sample.
- 5
IUI or IVF IUI: scans from about day 9 to 12 of the cycle. IVF: about 8 to 12 days of injections.
For IUI, the thawed, prepared sample is placed in the womb at ovulation. For IVF, eggs are collected and fertilised with the donor sperm.
the egg collection and transfer theatre - 6
Pregnancy test About 14 days after IUI or 12 to 14 days after transfer
A blood test. If it is negative, we review the plan with you before the next cycle.
Your first visit
1
Talk
Both of you, privately, with every past semen report and urology note.
2
Test
Her scan, hormones and tubes. For him, anything the assessment is missing.
3
Plan
Whether donor sperm is needed, IUI or IVF, the law, and what consent means.
4
Treat
After counselling, written consent, and a matched sample from the bank.
Questions patients ask
Where can I find a sperm donor in Chennai?
In Chennai, as everywhere in India, a sperm donor can only come through a registered ART bank; you cannot recruit one yourself.
Is there a sperm bank in Chennai?
Jananam is a fertility clinic, not a sperm bank, and under the ART Act 2021 only a registered ART bank may screen donors and store donor sperm.
Can we choose the sperm donor?
No, not by identity; the donor stays anonymous under Indian law. The bank matches a donor to you on features such as height, complexion and blood group.
Can a friend or relative be our sperm donor?
No, not under the current system. The ART Act 2021 requires donor sperm to come through a registered bank, and donor details are kept confidential. Ask us if your situation is unusual and we will explain the law in writing.
Will the child look like us?
The child's genes come from the donor and from the woman whose eggs are used, so the mother's side is inherited. Matching on features helps. Children also pick up expressions, speech and habits from the family that raises them.
Is donor sperm IUI painful?
No, donor sperm IUI is usually painless: it feels like a smear test and takes a few minutes, with no anaesthesia. You can go home the same day.
What does donor sperm treatment cost?
The cost depends on the donor sample, whether you need IUI or IVF, and your medication. You get a written price after the first consultation, before anything starts.
Off the Record
Not the question you had?
The questions people don't ask with their partner sitting beside them, answered by Dr Vani Sundarapandian.
Dr Vani on donor sperm.
Who needs it, and why.
In their words, not ours.
Asha Tara
· January 2025My husband and I visited Jananam in May 2024 with lots of hopes. Dr. Vani was very friendly and knowledgeable in providing us with right recommendations.
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Sex selection is prohibited in India under the PCPNDT Act, 1994 and the ART Act, 2021.