What should a person look for in a good sperm bank?

-- Rose

Sperm banks are likely to participate in review by a certification organization. The American Association of Tissue Banking and the laboratory certification of the State of New York have the toughest standards in this area.

Many sperm banks can now be found online. Their materials should list the screening and testing processes they use in selecting male donors. Most sperm banks will screen for HIV-I and II, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, cytomegalovirus, blood type and Rh factor, as well as genes for cystic fibrosis, sickle cell trait and Tay-sachs when appropriate. Routine chromosomal evaluation may be available. The specimen is frozen, and the donor is tested six months later before the bank releases the specimen for use. This period of quarantine and retesting enables the bank to provide the safest specimen.

The lab should provide specimens prepared for intrauterine insemination and processed to guarantee a minimum of 10 million -- preferably 20 million -- motile sperm after thawing. You can expect the banks to limit the number of offspring per donor to between three and six. By limiting the number of offspring per donor, the bank is taking steps to minimize the risk of donor offspring marrying their half-siblings.

You can expect to get a list of available donors. A brief description of the donor should include blood type, height, weight, and hair and eye coloring. Some banks will provide information on hobbies, interests and grades (if the donors are students). At least one bank even offers photographs of the donors.

Before choosing the sperm bank, speak to your own physician to discuss his or her experience dealing with the lab. For example, are the specimens delivered in a timely fashion? Are post-thaw sperm motility measurements as good as the bank claims? Are pregnancy rates good?

The process of choosing to use a sperm donor and going through the selection and insemination process can be stressful and pose ethical dilemmas for some couples. To minimize complications, I recommend that anyone wishing to use this process consult a psychologist or counselor experienced with infertility-related issues.