Common causes of male infertility

One in five couples will encounter involuntary infertility, and around 30 percent of those cases will be caused by male factor infertility. What are the most common causes of male infertility?

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Male infertility is the sole factor in around a third of couples who failed to get pregnant after several years of trying to conceive. Total infertility is very rare in men — in most cases, a man becomes subfertile because he has a low sperm count, slow-moving sperm, or the sperm quality is poor. Healthy men, and most less-than-healthy ones too, continuously produce sperm. The sperm production process takes around 75 days to complete, and lots of factors can influence the quality of sperm during this process.

Very often, the cause of a man’s low sperm count, poor quality of sperm, or slow or no movement, is never revealed. It’s even possible for a man to show perfectly normal sperm analysis results, but to still be unable to get his partner pregnant. Having said, here are some of the most common known causes of male infertility.

Lifestyle factors

As with women, lifestyle factors should be the first to find themselves under the microscope. Smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, a junk food diet, and even overhearing the testicles by wearing tight underwear — all of these things can cause subfertility and even infertility. Let’s have a look how:

• Smoking interferes with sperm’s ability to propel themselves forward, and also makes sperm smaller in size. There is some evidence that smoking alters the genetic makeup of a man’s sperm as well. What’s more, the second-hand smoke your partner will be exposed to will also lower her fertility.
• Alcohol, when used in excess, will decrease sperm count. Of course, it damages your lover too.
• Nutritional deficiencies will affect the quality of a man’s sperm. Get tested when you start trying to conceive.
• Being overweight or underweight is generally associated with poor nutrition, but weight itself also impacts fertility.
• Testicular overheating interferes with sperm production. Avoid having a computer in your lap, wearing tight underwear, or having hot baths all the time.
• Stress is another possible factor, though it is not clear how and why.

Hormonal disorders

Hormonal disorders are a rarer causes of male infertility, but they should still be examined as a possibility during the fertility testing process. Hypothyroidism, a thyroid that functions too slowly, can slow down sperm production, lead to a poor semen quality, and is linked to a low sex drive as well.

Some hormones lead to infertility when they appear in excessive quantities, while low levels or other hormones have exactly the same effect. Hormonal disorders can be the underlying cause of low sperm count, poor semen quality, and sperm that doesn’t move properly. Small sperm cell size and decreased libido are other consequences of hormonal disorders.

Physical problems

A varicocele is a dilation of the blood vessels in the scrotum. This can interfere with the sperm production process and lead to a poor sperm quality as well. Though a varicocele — which isn’t unlike varicose veins in the legs — can cause infertility, it doesn’t always. On the other hand, men whose fertility was obstructed by a varcicocele may not regain their fertility when they have the varicocele surgically treated.

With retrograde ejaculation, a man’s sperm ends up in the bladder rather than being ejaculated. This can happen because the bladder sphincter doesn’t function properly.

Some men are born without vas deferens, the tubes that lead sperm from the testicles to the penis, while others have theirs blocked as a result of infections like chlamydia, physical injury, or a vasectomy (which is, obviously, a voluntary procedure which you would definitely know about!). www.trying-to-conceive.com

Obese men and infertility

Obese women have a harder time getting pregnant naturally, but are also less likely to achieve success during fertility treatments. Many people are aware of that, but what role does obesity play in male infertility? Are men with a very high BMI unable to get their partner pregnant?

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How does obesity impact male fertility?

A Danish study of almost 1,600 young men (who were trying to join the military, and had to provide a sperm sample!) showed that those men with a BMI of 25 or over had a much lower sperm count than men with a healthy weight, and that their sperm concentration was also lower. Men with a BMI of over 25 are considered to be overweight, while those with a BMI over 30 would be labeled as obese. We should take into account that muscle weights more than fat, and that very muscular men with a higher BMI may not have too much body fat at all.

Finish data suggests that every 20 pounds too much decreases a man’s fertility by 10 percent — conversely, this should mean that those guys who are slightly overweight can increase their chance of getting their partner pregnant significantly by losing just a few pounds, while those who are severely overweight need to work a bit harder.

French researchers, who also found that obesity lowers sperm count and can even result in semen with no live sperm at all, had an interesting theory about the underlying cause of this. Fat cells increase the presence of the female hormone estrogen in the body, which suppresses testosterone.

Losing weight

Obesity can lead to cardiovascular complications, diabetes, joint problems, and many more things researchers are still figuring out. It should come as no surprise that being overweight and obese also interferes with male fertility. When a couple appears to be unable to get pregnant after trying to conceive for a significant amount of time, it is usually the woman’s fertility they worry about first.

Lifestyle factors of both partners should be examined critically before considering talking to a doctor and undergoing fertility testing — and men should see where they can improve just as much as women. Eating habits, physical activity, and smoking and drinking should all find themselves under the microscope. If you are overweight, losing those excess pounds may make all the difference, and it make sense to tackle the problems that are right in your face before seeing whether the female partner has blocked fallopian tubes, for instance.

Diabetes and male fertility

Diabetes deserves a mention here, because Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity and lifestyle factors. This condition, too, can impact male fertility — alongside obesity itself. Research shows that diabetes causes a lower semen volume, and DNA changes in sperm cells. These negative DNA changes cause lower pregnancy rates, a higher risk of miscarriage, and can lead to some serious birth defects.

You’ll find insulin resistance in up to 60 percent of obese men, whether they are officially diabetic or not. If you are obese and trying to conceive, this is something you should take into account and that you should possibly see a doctor about.

www.trying-to-conceive.com

Tips to boost male fertility

Have you and your guy decided to try for a baby? No doubt, you’ve already been bombarded with advice — you may have asked for it, or it may have just found its way to you. Most preconception tips have to do with improving female fertility. You have probably heard all about folic acid and tracking your ovulation. But it takes two to tango. What can your other half do to boost his fertility?

Thanks to Podknox via Flickr Creative Commons.

Eating healthily

In an ideal world, every person would easily get all the nutrients they needed from foods. A healthy and varied diet — high in real, home-made meals, and low in junk food — certainly helps. Whether a man is a health nut who never indulges in McDonalds, beer, and chocolate or one who loves unhealthy treats and enjoys them a bit too often, getting tested for nutrititional deficiencies is a great move. Men who are deficient in vitamins A, C, D, E, and B vitamins, or who are lacking zinc or selenium are impaired when it comes to sperm production.

The message to men who do have deficiencies in minerals or vitamins is clear. Taking a multivitamin tablet every day will certainly reduce deficiencies. Taking a critical look at what you’re eating is a great step to take along with those multivitamins. Vitamins and minerals are absorbed more easily when they come from natural sources.

Tackle stress

Have you ever heard that stress can interfere with a woman’s menstrual cycle, and even stop her from ovulating? Men are really not that different. Stress can reduce male fertility, and obviously has the potential to damage your relationship as well. Men have a better shot at becoming a father soon if they are relaxed, so finding a source of stress relief that actually works is worth a lot. It’s not just mental stress that interferes with those swimmers, of course! Really heavy physical activity, including working out heavily, can have a negative impact on sperm too.

Sex — not too little, not too much

Researchers came to the conclusion that couples who have sex every day, or even multiple times a day, actually decrease their odds of conceiving. Sperm takes a while to produce, and having sex too often means men have a lower concentration of sperm in their ejaculate. Not that you’d notice. It’s not good to only have sex once a week or even less, either. Sperm that’s not fresh anymore doesn’t move so well, apparently! Sex every other day is the best interval for those who are trying to get pregnant. Of course, keeping the female partner’s ovulate date in mind (you can find that out by using an ovulation calendar) helps you plan better.

Prevent overheating

Have you heard that hot baths fry sperm? This isn’t an urban myth, unfortunately! Well, hot baths, saunas, laptops, the wrong saddle on your bike, and similar stuff doesn’t actually fry sperm, but it does slow down sperm production. The testicles work best at a temperature that is below your normal body temperature, which is why they are on the outside of the body in the first place. Along with the things we’ve already mentioned, really tight underwear or shorts can also cause the testicles to get too hot — especially if they are also synthetic. Save the heat for where it really counts, in between the sheets (or wherever else)!

No smoking and drinking

Smoking and drinking are bad for your health. That’s a message just as boring as the one about eating healthily. Staying fit falls in the same category. We hate to sound like a broken record, all the more because everyone has (hopefully!?) already realized this common wisdom. Drinking a glass of wine, or whiskey, or beer here and there isn’t that bad. It isn’t such a great idea for guys who are trying to get their partner pregnant, especially if it’s more than a glass here and there.

As for smoking, it’s just plain dangerous for everyone involved. Smoking cigarettes makes a man’s fertility drop, but it also has the same effect on his partner if she breathes the sec0nd-hand smoke from his cigarettes, or even third-hand smoke on his clothes, your bed sheets, and so on. Quitting is an essential part of the preconception checklist for any man who is currently a smoker. - www.trying-to-conceive.com

Want better sperm? Eat walnuts!

Low sperm count is one of the most common male fertility problems. In some cases, a better diet can make that sperm count shoot right up. Have you ever heard that walnuts can increase a man’s chances of getting his partner pregnant? Well, it is official now — walnuts improve fertility! It’s not an urban myth!

Thanks to artizone via Flickr Creative Commons.

Lead author Professor Wendie Robbins from UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health recruited 117 men between 21 and 35 years old. The study subjects, who were all eating a “typical western diet” (whatever that may mean!), were separated into two groups. One group was given 2.6 ounces of whole walnuts daily, to add to their diet. The other group continued with their previous diet, but was told not to eat nuts.

The results were pretty fascinating — the men who were in the group that started on a walnut-rich diet showed a significant improvement in their sperm count, but also had positive changes in the shape and speed of their swimmers! The men in the group that didn’t change their diet didn’t have any changes in their sperm quality.

Are you a tad skeptical about a study that says something as simple as eating walnuts could have such a huge impact on male fertility? Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield, shared his views with the BBC: “It would be relatively easy to poke fun at studies like this, but there is increasing evidence to show that aspects of a man’s diet can affect the number and quality of sperm produced by his testicles.”

Do you or your partner have sperm quality problems, or are you just trying to conceive and hoping to maximize your chances  of pregnancy as soon as possible? Lots of factors are responsible for a person’s fertility, and weight, having sex at the right time of the month, and other things play large roles. Researchers think that the fatty acids in walnuts may explain the results of this study, so trying to incorporate walnuts and other fatty acids into your diet may improve your fertility. - www.trying-to-conceive.com

What is sperm analysis?

Finding out what the underlying cause of a couple’s infertility is can sometimes be tricky, and infertility testing can be a lengthy process. Sperm analysis, the single most informative male fertility test, is perhaps also the most straightforward fertility testing procedure. Who needs a sperm analysis, and what does this test find out?

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What is analysed?

A semen analysis looks at many different things — a man’s sperm count, the size and shape of his sperm, and their speed. The volume of semen is measured as well, and sperm analysis also checks for white blood cells and anti-sperm antibodies. Each of these factors influences a man’s ability to get his partner pregnant.

Sperm count is probably the most well-known factor a sperm analysis looks into. A sperm count of 20 million sperm or more per milliliter of semen is considered normal. Because every man’s sperm count varies a bit (depending on illness, wearing underwear that is too tight, or even stress), sperm analysis should be carried out twice, a few weeks apart. This gives the most accurate picture of the man’s true sperm count range.

Motility and morphology, or speed and shape, are also examined during a sperm analysis. Sperm that is too slow or is malformed hinder a man’s fertility in obvious ways. Those men who are found to have problems in these two areas may find out why their sperm has poor motility or morphology (illness, or even sperm antibodies can be responsible for example), or the cause of their sperm’s speed and shape problems may remain unknown. One word about “weirdly shaped sperm”; every man has a certain percentage of sperm that are shaped abnormally, and this does not have to impact his fertility negatively. It is a higher than normal percentage of poorly shaped sperm that harms fertility, and the higher that percentage, the bigger the problem.

A high number of white blood cells in a man’s semen sample may indicate an infection of some kind, and will give the man the opportunity to receive medical treatment. The presence of anti-sperm antibodies shows that a the man’s bodily defense systems attack his own sperm — not very helpful if he is hoping to conceive. This is a fairly rare occurrence, fortunately.

Sperm analysis — what are the normal values?

Now that you know what sperm analysis looks out for, you probably want to find out what the normal values are as well. Here you go:

• Sperm count/sperm concentration: more than 20 million sperm per ml.
• Standard tests volume: more than 2.0 ml.
• Sperm motility: more than 50 percent of total sample have forward movement.
• Sperm morphology: a minimum of 15 percent should be normally shaped.
• White blood cells: less than one million white blood cells per ml.

Preparing for a sperm analysis

Are you going for sperm analysis? Of course, you are fairly nervous about the whole procedure. Masturbating into a cup is only the start of that — the results, which you will have access to quickly after the test, will tell you a lot about your reproductive future. You should discuss the preparations with your doctor in advance. Generally, though, you will be asked to abstain from intercourse and ejaculation for two to five days, so that your clinic can obtain the best results.

Men who have religious objections to ejaculating into the sterile cup normally provided can discuss other options with their healthcare team. However, it is important to note that the first part of the ejaculate contains most sperm and that collecting a sperm, sample after intercourse is not a good method. Collecting into a condom is not an option either, since these contain substances that harm sperm and bias the sample.

After your doctor has obtained your semen sample, the rest of the job is up to the lab. You will usually get the results as quickly as the next day, and will then meet with your doctor to discuss the results and any further steps that may be recommended in your fertility testing process.

Are you a man who has undergone sperm analysis? Please leave a comment and share your experience with other guys who are about to go through it! - www.trying-to-conceive.com

Antioxidants keep sperm healthy

Would you like to find out the secret of male fertility, into a ripe old age? Antioxidants could have a lot to do with it, a new study says!

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What are antioxidants?

Vitamins C and E, zinc and folate (known as folic acid when produced artificially) — all of these antioxidants play an important role in human health. Antioxidants are powerful “soldiers” that battle free radicals that are reactive oxygen species. Every human body will be invaded by these free radicals, through pollution, smoking, x-rays and sunlight to name a few examples. They cause their fair share of damage, to cells, proteins, and even DNA.

Ensuring that foods containing antioxidants are part of your daily diet will work toward preventing and repairing damage caused by free radicals. This will improve your health, and may slow the negative consequences of aging. Foods that are full of antioxidants include:

• Berries, like raspberries, cranberries, and strawberries
• Plums and prunes
• Apples
• Beans and bean sprouts
• Onions
• Eggplant

For more specific information, you may also like to read about food sources of folic acid, and zinc rich foods for better fertility.

What’s new?

Previous research has already revealed that antioxidants improve fertility for both sexes. Now a new study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility specifically found that those men over 45 who had the highest levels of antioxidants had the fewest DNA-strand breaks in their sperm. In other words, the genetic quality of older men’s sperm is better if they get enough zinc, folate, and vitamins C and E.

Of course, eating better improves a person’s general health, and with that also their fertility. But the study’s senior researcher Andrew J Wyrobek of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California said that it was definitely the antioxidants themselves that made the difference in the genetic quality of men’s sperm.

Eighty healthy, non-smoking guys between the ages of 22 and 80 participated in the study. Besides generously donating a sperm sample, they also answered questions about their diet and dietary supplements. In the 45+ group, those men who had the highest vitamin C intake had 20 percent less DNA damage to their sperm than those who got less of the vitamin. Other antioxidants showed the same pattern, although the difference was not quite as drastic.

Wyrobek said that it is only adequate amounts of these antioxidants that male the difference, and that consuming larger amounts does not decrease the DNA damage any further. He also warned that there are many possible causes of male infertility, and cautioned couples against thinking that antioxidants could be a miracle cure. He did say that it makes sense to include these vitamins and minerals in your diet: “This suggests that if you’re an older man who’s planning on having children in the future, you could think of your diet as part of that overall plan.”

www.trying-to-conceive.com

Clomid for men?

Clomid, or clomiphene citrate, is a popular female fertility drug that induces ovulation. Did you know that men with fertility problems can benefit from Clomid too in some circumstances?

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What does Clomid do for women?

Before we get to why Clomid can really help some men with fertility problems, let’s quickly look at why the average woman takes Clomid. Clomiphene is frequently the first medication administered to women, and it is suitable for those who do not ovulate, those who are undergoing fertility treatments such as Intrauterine Insemination, and women who have been diagnosed with idiopathic (unexplained) infertility.

Clomid, which is structurally comparable to the female hormone estrogen, triggers the production of two hormones crucial to the conception process. Those hormones are Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH). Clomid triggers the body’s hormonal function into improving, rather than offering a “boost” in the relevant hormones directly. It is, therefore, considered to be much safer than more intense fertility medications like gonadotropin injections.

If Clomid stimulates FSH and LH, what’s in it for men?

You may have been surprised that a female fertility drug can help men get their partner pregnant to start off with, but now that you know that Clomid triggers to very specific hormones that help follicles mature and ovulation to occur, you are probably baffled. Here’s the thing — men need FSH and LH too.

Luteinizing hormones stimulates testosterone production in men, while FSH plays an important role in testicular growth and the sperm cell development. Simply put, low levels of FSH and LH in men result in oligospermia, or a very low sperm count. This, in turn, means that the man is practically infertile. This is where clomiphene citrate comes in.

Clomid prescriptions for men

According to fertility clinics who prescribe Clomid to men, 25 mg to 5o mg of clomiphene daily is the appriopriate starting dose for men who have fertility problems as a result of hormonal issues. This daily regime is maintained for 25 days per month and followed by a break. Sperm production is a surprisingly long process — the time from sperm cell production to ejaculation is approximately 90 days!

Keep in mind that men on Clomid need to be monitored by their fertility clinic carefully. If testosterone levels go from too low to too high, this will also impair sperm production and will not improve the situation any. Women’s clomiphene cycles last for five days per month, and women taking this widely available fertility drug are generally subject to many Clomid side effects. Men on clomiphene are also likely to experience some of the non-female specific side effects.

Clomid prescriptions for men are still controversial. Clomid is actually the most frequently prescribed fertility drug even for men, but its immediate and long-term side effects and its effectiveness have not been studied thoroughly yet. Men who are hoping to become fathers with the help of clomiphene should certainly think twice even before using the drug as prescribed by a competent doctor.

Clomid, being cheap and widely available, is also a drug often dealt in illegally. Anyone can obtain it on the internet. So a word of warning to those who are considering this — Clomid is a serious prescription drug that should only be taken under the careful supervision of a doctor. Without a competent healthcare professional, you will never know if Clomid is the right medication for you. Even if it is, side effects are serious occasionally, and you don’t want to go that alone. “Clomid” bought on the web may also be something completely different. In other words, just stay away from shady online pharmacies advertising “Clomid without prescription”!

Are you a man who has taken Clomid and achieved pregnancy afterward? Or did taking clomiphene not work out for you? In any case, we would really love to hear from people with personal experience. Stories about your side effects on clomiphene would be useful as well. Please feel free to leave a comment!

6 surprising reasons for male infertility

Infertility is as much a male problem as a female problem. Are you and your partner trying to conceive? Read on to discover little known causes of male infertility — some of which you can easily do something about to increase your chances of getti

ng pregnant.

Thanks to drinksmachine/Flickr Creative Commons.

Dairy

Everyone knows that a person’s diet influences their fertility. A healthy diet influences your chances of conceiving a child positively, while junk-food diets can be detrimental to your chances of having a baby. Who would have thought cheese, milk, and other dairy products could be bad for a man’s sperm count? Researchers from the Harvard School scientists of Public and Health in Boston found exactly that. Eating three or more portions of dairy reduces a man’s fertility, the study team found. One portion is 250 ml of full-fat milk, a scoop of ice cream, 28 grams of cheese or a teaspoon of cream. If you over-indulge, your sperm count may reduce by 25 percent!

Sperm length variety

Men whose sperm come in many different lengths could have trouble getting their partners pregnant, the latest research from Brown University suggests. These new findings are important, because the flagellum of the sperm, that tail at the end that actually propels the cell forward, wasn’t previously looked at during the male fertility testing process. Sperm count and speed were looked at, as well as the shape of the head of the sperm, but that tail at the end had been neglected.

The study found that men whose sperm flagella were longer than average seemed to do better, while those with too much variety in length suffered. The study’s lead author Jim Mossman said: “The finding could give clinicians new insight into the diagnosis and treatment of male fertility problems, which accounts for up to 50 percent of the cases where couples struggle to conceive.”

Age

Women’s “biological clocks” are always a hot topic. The idea that men can have children well into their 80s is pretty persistent. That does happen in some causes, but male fertility declines at roughly the same age as female fertility. Australian scientists warn that the chance of conceiving is not the only thing at stake.

John Aitken from the University of Newcastle in New South Wales told the recent Fertility Society of Australia: “They don’t stop producing sperm, but the quality of those gametes deteriorates with age and the likelihood that the offspring will have some kind of genetic disease increases with the age of the father.”

Teenage obesity

What does it matter to your later fertility if you were overweight or obese as a teenager? Obesity significantly harms the sexual development of teenage boys, and the lower testosterone levels associated with obesity can have a long-term impact. This was the conclusion of yet another recent study, published in the journal Clinical Endocrinology. This study measured the testosterone levels of boys aged between 14 and 20. Shockingly, the obese boys’ testosterone levels were around 50 percent lower than those of their normal-weight counterparts.

Those men who were obese as adults can’t turn the clock back now, of course. This study does give parents of boys something to think about. Obesity is a very serious problem, but the impact it can have in future fertility is something we didn’t previously know about.

No exercise

Male fertility can have many causes, and it is perhaps no surprise that exercising regularly increases a man’s chances of having a baby. Scientists from the University of Cordoba noted that men’s sperm quality has generally declined over the last 50 years. Unhealthy lifestyles have of course been blamed, but the team wanted to find out exactly what role exercise played in male fertility. They looked at sperm count, motility and morphology, as well as hormone levels.

The team found that men who did not exercise had problems on all counts. Only moderate exercise could improve their fertility, though. If you have been a little too sedentary lately, plan to get active if you are hoping to become a dad in the future. Women should help their partners to establish a regular exercise routine, because their fertility benefits from physical activity just as much.

Maoism

So far, you’ve seen a little compilation of the world’s latest research in male infertility. I promised you surprising reasons for male infertility, but I have to admit the exercise one was pretty obvious. I’ll make up for that now, with this last voluntary cause of male infertility that is really very surprising — being an Indian Maoist.

India may not be known for as a “stronghold of the revolution”, but there are quite a few Maoist activists in certain parts of the sub-continent. Maoist cadres hoping to get married need the party’s approval of course, and one weird precondition is often that the man has a vasectomy. This prevents family ties getting in the way of politics, apparently. The Indian government is now offering Maoists who want to reintegrate in mainstream society free vasectomy reversals.

A Home Ministry communication said that the government will pay for vasectomy reversals to “reduce the temptation of the cadres to return to the Maoist fold. Hence, state governments should consider facilitating vasectomy reversal operations of willing Maoists. Since most sterilisation surgeries are conducted in a crude manner by local quacks, if the reversal operation has to be done in a higher medical centre, the government should bear the costs.”

www.trying-to-conceive.com

What do you need to know before donating sperm?

Infertility is on the rise — and despite a great many advances in medical technology, there is still a great demand for donor sperm. Single mothers by choice and lesbian couples are two groups that may also want to use donor sperm to become parents. Are you a man who is considering donating sperm to a sperm bank, or becoming a know sperm donor to a friend or relative? Here’s what you need to know.

Thanks to benchilada/Flickr Creative Commons.

Do you qualify?

Lots of men would not mind exchanging their gametes for some pocket money, but you need to qualify. The requirements vary per sperm bank — some need you to be over a certain length, others need you to have a degree, and many are looking for sperm donors or a particular ethnicity. All need you to be healthy and to have healthy sperm, and age requirements are usually attached to that as well. You may need to be between 18 and 25 years old in order to become a sperm donor for a sperm bank.

If you have been asked to act as a known donor, the individual or couple asking you has already pre-qualified you. You will still need to get your sperm quality tested, and your general health. Nobody wants a sperm donor with HIV, obviously. If the woman trying to get pregnant with your sperm is planning to perform self-insemination, you will need to be available to drop sperm samples off during her fertile window. Sperm banks, too, may require that you live close to the bank so they can get samples whenever they need to.

Men donating to a sperm bank should know any sperm sample that does not meet their requirements will not be paid. Other specific requirements should always be discussed with the bank itself.

Finally, you’ll obviously need to go through your medical history, and you are disqualified if you suffer from any type of genetic condition. A psychological evaluation is also an integral part of selecting desirable sperm donors. Unfortunately for people hoping to use a sperm donor to conceive children, they don’t always work and people with serious mental problems do get through the screening process. (See Dutch neo-nazi sperm donor wanted “white Aryan children” for information about one such shocking case!)

Psychological effects

Many young men see sperm donation as easy money. Are you sure you can handle becoming a biological father to many children, however? You would not be the first man to deeply regret donating sperm after many years, possibly right when you become a father to children you are intending to parent. Because you may not be able to understand the possible consequences of donating sperm, I’d suggest any sperm donor should have a chat with a psychologist before becoming a sperm donor.

Also keep in mind that your (future) wife or partner, and your own parents could be deeply affected by your sperm donation if they know about it. Google men who regret sperm donation and similar terms to find individual stories that tell you more about this really complicated topic.

Are you willing to be identified?

In many countries, anonymous sperm donation has now officially been banned. These countries include Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden and Australia. If your jurisdiction still allows anonymous sperm donation, there are a few things you should consider. The law could retroactively be overturned, after which you could be identified as the biological father (of maybe dozens of children).

Your biological children could find you even if you think your privacy is protected, and the many people who hold that these individuals have a strong right to know the identity of their biological father sure have a point. There are donor sibling registries online where parents of donor offspring can connect, for instance. Any man considering sperm donation in this day and age should be willing to be known, or decide sperm donation is not for him after all.

The other possibility is, of course, that you will want to meet the children you helped create one day — only to be heartbroken that you cannot find them. Once again, search google to find some of the stories of men who feel this way.

Do you have any personal experience with sperm donation, from the point of view of the donor or his relative, as the parent of a donor-conceived child, or as a donor-conceived person? We’d love to hear your opinions about sperm donation. Please leave a comment! 

www.trying-to-conceive.com