What is sperm donation?

The leading IVF clinic in North Cyprus, EuroCARE IVF, offers IVF treatments using donor sperm.  Making the decision to have IVF using a sperm donor in order to get pregnant has been very successful for couples affected by male factor infertility, same-sex couples, and single women. As part of your IVF treatment in Cyprus, we will provide you with access to our database of anonymous donors.  Our experienced team will help you to find a suitable sperm donor using a sperm bank and will guide you through the entire process from beginning to end.

What is Sperm Donation in Cyprus?

Sperm donation in Cyprus is a popular method of third-party assisted reproduction that involves using sperm obtained from another man (sperm donor) to help individuals and couples conceive as part of IVF (in vitro fertilization). At the EuroCARE IVF clinic in North Cyprus, donor sperm is used in IVF treatments for couples affected by severe male-factor infertility. Sperm donation is also an option for single women and same-sex couples to achieve their dream of parenthood.

Who Needs a Sperm Donor?

The first step in the sperm donation Cyprus process is to conduct consultation and fertility testing to determine the cause(s) of infertility. A sperm donor may be required if you are:

  • A man with sperm deficiency (azoospermia)
  • A man with a genetic disease that can be transmitted to the child
  • A woman with no male partner (same-sex couples or single women)

Sperm donation may be suggested in cases where the male partner is producing insufficient sperm, or the sperm produced does not move properly. When the sperm is unable to fertilize the egg due to some inherent problems, a sperm donor can help create a family. Couples who carry or have a family history of a genetic condition that can be passed onto the child are often advised to use donor sperm to avoid complications associated with the genetic disorder. Sperm donation is an option for men who have undergone a vasectomy or cancer treatment. Finally, a sperm donor can provide pregnancies for single women or same-sex couples.

Sperm Donation Cyprus After Vasectomy

IVF in Cyprus may be a better option for your partner if a vasectomy reversal does not work and/or you are affected by female-factor infertility. Vasectomy is a procedure that involves blocking or cutting the vas deferens in order to prevent sperm from traveling through the penis during ejaculation. A vasectomy reversal is a surgical procedure where the vas deferens is reconnected. This allows sperm to travel from the testes out during ejaculation. Unfortunately, vasectomy reversal doesn’t always work. In this respect, IVF in Cyprus is far more successful allowing couples to have a baby without the male partner to undergo reversal surgery.

During the IVF procedure, a sperm sample may be obtained using Micro TESE (Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction), which is carried out under local anesthesia and consists of removing a sample of the testicular tissue. The extracted sample is studied under a microscope in the laboratory, and the spermatozoids are identified and saved. Healthy sperm cells are selected and injected into each mature egg that was previously collected from the woman’s ovaries. This method of fertilization is called Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) Cyprus. It successfully circumvents problems with sperm production.

If our EuroCARE IVF specialist is not able to extract viable sperm or the male partner is a carrier of a genetic condition that can affect pregnancy and child’s health, then sperm donation in Cyprus is an option.

What are the Requirements for Sperm Donation in Cyprus?

  • Age between 18 and 35 years
  • Test negative for HIV, Hepatitis and STDs (sexually transmitted infections)
  • No congenital diseases like hypertension or diabetes
  • No major genetic disorders such as hemophilia, thalassemia, spina bifida, heart malfunction
  • Complete a screening process
  • Undergo counseling for the implications of sperm donation
  • Sign a form giving up rights of semen samples and child born as a result
  • Commit to the sperm donation process

Who Cannot be a Sperm Donor?

A sperm donor cannot be:

  • A man with a history of certain diseases such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, etc.
  • Intravenous drug user
  • A man at risk of HIV infection

Men who have a family history of a particular illness such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, heart disease, serious mental illness are not allowed to take part in our sperm donation program in Cyprus. Certain ‘high risk’ groups including promiscuous men (heterosexual or homosexual) or intravenous drug users are disqualified from the donation.

Where to Find a Sperm Donor in Cyprus?

We partner with a reputable sperm bank in Europe that supplies anonymous donor sperm of superior quality. Patients can find a wide variety of donors from all backgrounds. Some information available to couples in search of a sperm donor includes marital status, existing children, height, weight,  eye/hair/skin color, ethnicity, nationality, occupation, religion, hobbies/interests, important medical information.

If you decide to use donor sperm for your IVF treatment in Cyprus, you will be provided with access to the donor database with different profiles you can choose from. Once a sperm donor has been selected, frozen sperm samples will be shipped to our clinic.

At EuroCARE IVF in North Cyprus, our staff will help our patients with the shipment of sperm. We recommend to our patients to order a sperm sample at least 1 week ahead of their treatment to maintain the patient’s treatment schedule as planned.

Sperm Bank Process

Reputable sperm banks meet strict requirements for sperm donation. Potential donors are tested for infectious disease. Once the screening has been completed, a sperm sample is provided and frozen. The donor is re-tested for infectious diseases before sperm is shipped to our clinic. After the official match is done, the sperm will be ordered and provided to the clinic as planned. Our team will help you with the selection and shipment of donor sperm.

How Does Sperm Donation In Cyprus Work?

All potential sperm donors undergo rigorous screening before being admitted to our program. The screening process includes:

  • Medical Screening involves medical history, including family and genetic history, infectious disease tests (Anti-HIV, Anti-HCV, Rubella IgG, CMV IgG, HbsAg, VDRL), blood group, Rhesus antibodies, and full blood count.
  • Genetic testing is performed to screen for chromosomal and genetic abnormalities that can be passed onto the child.
  • Legal counseling to consider the legal implications of donation. All donors consent to remain anonymous and give up their legal rights over the resulting children.

Sperm Donor Questionnaire

All potential sperm donors are required to fill out a health questionnaire. This questionnaire asks basic questions about the overall fitness, health, and lifestyle of the candidate.

Some common questions are:

  • How often do you exercise per week?
  • How do you describe your diet?
  • Have you ever had any major illnesses or surgery?
  • Do you know of any genetic disease which runs in your family?
  • Are you on any medication?
  • Do you have, or have you ever had any sexually transmitted diseases?

The health questionnaire is added to the donor’s profile. It is purely informational and does not replace the health screening tests.

Process of Sperm Donation in Cyprus

After the initial consultation, you will need to undergo fertility testing in order to determine an individualized treatment plan. The next step is to select a donor from our sperm donor database. There you can find information about donors that are available to donate. Once the official match has been done, patients will have to sign a legal contract claiming parenting rights and responsibilities.

Sperm donation in Cyprus is very similar to a standard IVF treatment. Day one of the woman’s menstrual cycle marks day one of the treatment process and ovarian stimulation begins on day two. During this time,  the female patient is monitored through regular blood tests and ultrasounds. On day nine of the treatment cycle, patients will come to our IVF clinic in Cyprus where they will proceed with the treatment. When the eggs are ready, they are collected by ultrasound-guided aspiration.

Donor Sperm For IVF in Cyprus

A frozen sperm sample is thawed and analyzed in the laboratory. Sperm is sorted out based on quality and only best sperm cells are injected into each collected egg using an ICSI procedure.

Embryos are monitored closely by our expert embryologist and transferred on day three or day five depending on their development and quality. Usually, embryos are transferred when they are at their best development stage, preferably at the blastocyst stage. You will discuss full details of your embryo’s development with the EuroCARE IVF doctor on the day of the transfer to decide together which to transfer. Two weeks after fertilization, you will do a beta hCG test to check whether you are pregnant. If the test result is positive, you will be asked to arrange prenatal care.

IVF With Donor Eggs and Sperm

IVF with donor eggs and sperm (also known as embryo donation) is a fertility treatment that involves fertilization of previously collected donor eggs with donor sperm. The healthiest embryos are then transferred to the prepared uterus to develop further.

Donor egg and sperm are used when the woman either has a diminished ovarian reserve or produces poor-quality eggs. Donor sperm is used because the male partner has azoospermia, or because there is no male partner (single women and same-sex couples).

Egg donors undergo ovarian stimulation for about 10 to 12 days to stimulate their ovaries. During this time, they administer subcutaneous (under the skin) hormone injections to encourage the ovaries to produce more eggs for retrieval. Regular ultrasound scans and blood tests give information about the size and development of the eggs.

When ready, the eggs are removed by ultrasound-guided aspiration. The procedure takes about 15 minutes and is performed while the donor is under sedation. To achieve fertilization, ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is used to insert healthy sperm cells into each mature egg. The semen sample is obtained from a donor who has undergone a full medical examination to ensure the quality of the sperm. The frozen semen is thawed before being used in the ICSI procedure.

In the next three to five days, fertilized eggs become embryos ready for transfer. Embryos with the best developmental characteristics are transferred into the intended mother’s uterus. Any extra good-quality embryos can be frozen for future IVF treatments in Cyprus. Embryo cryopreservation is a great way if you want to expand your family building option.

IVF with Donor Sperm Success Rates

The success rates for IVF using donor sperm range from 67% up to about 75% per cycle for patients under the age of 35. Women over 35 have a 35-55 percent chance of reaching pregnancy using donor sperm.

Why Sperm Donation at the EuroCARE IVF Clinic in Cyprus?

Sperm donation at EuroCARE IVF has helped many patients to build their own families. Other benefits of choosing our clinic for your next IVF treatment are:

  • A wide variety of young and healthy sperm donors
  • Anonymous donation
  • Sperm donation for single women and same-sex couples
  • An alternative path to parenthood for couples affected by male factor infertility

Sperm donation at EuroCARE IVF is a comprehensive and supportive donor program that is designed to help anyone needing a sperm donor to help them build a family. To find out more about using donor sperm to have a baby please book an appointment with our fertility specialist.

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