Is a fertility clinic right for you...
What are your options you may ask? A fertility clinic seems to be the right option but something is niggling inside of you saying 'do I really have to pay thousands of pounds or dollars to get a child of my own?' 'do I want to pick a sperm donor from a long list just based on eye colour or haircolour' 'what if I met him and I didn't even like him' or 'I really don't like the idea of spreading my legs in a fertility clinic!' or if you are in a lesbian couple you may have talked about 'wanting the conception to be a joint loving experience'.
Finding a sperm donor through the internet...
Well you are certainly not alone in having these thoughts, as many more people are turning to the internet and sperm donor websites to find their ideal genetic material for their future child. Leading connection website Pride Angel now has been than 36,000 members registered worldwide. So the web is certainly giving options to people, which they never previously had.
Are private sperm donors safe...
The concern many people have is that of how finding your own donor works and ultimately is it safe? We are often bomarded by the media about how bad and dangerous it is to find a donor from a website. With messages being given to us about 'sperm donors only being interested in sex' and 'prolific sperm donors having hundreds of children' or 'sperm donors carrying sexually transmitted diseases and genetic disorders' These negative messages breed fear and lead us running back to the safety net of regulated fertility clinics.
Benefits to choosing your own donor ...
So are these fears justified or is it just media hype. The truth is that there is always an element of risk in every choice we make, but armed with this knowledge it is possible to benefit from all advantages of finding your own donor and at the same time limit the possibility of anything going wrong. So what are the main benefits of finding your own donor and how can you keep yourself and your future child safe at the same time? Firstly finding a donor through a website puts you in control of picking the characteristics and personality traits of your donor and 50% genetics of your child. It means that you can keep in contact if you choose, and your child can get to know more about them before they reach age 18. If you prefer not to stay in touch, at least you have more info to tell your child as and when they ask questions. It means you can use fresh sperm (better chance of getting pregnant) and be flexible with your donor and fit around your fertility window. With the added benefit that it may certainly save you a packet of money which you can spend on your child instead.
Read more about how you can help minimise the risks of using a private sperm donor by getting health screening and legal advice.