Single women and women in same-sex relationships may choose to pursue conception with frozen sperm from anonymous sperm donors. A partial list of licensed sperm banks currently registered with the FDA is provided below. In order to minimize transmission of infections through donor sperm, the FDA mandates extensive screening and a 180-day quarantine followed by repeat screening before the specimens are released to consumers.
Scheduling and Summary of Records
At the start of the menstrual cycle in which you wish to undergo donor sperm IUI, you should call to make the appropriate arrangements. When the sperm is shipped or brought into the office please make sure that the Summary of Records is included. The Summary of Records lists all the tests required by the FDA. Without this documentation we cannot perform the IUI.
IUI-ready Specimens
IUI (Intra-uterine Insemination)on the day of ovulation is the recommended and usual procedure with frozen donor sperm. Most sperm banks provide IUI-ready specimens which have been “washed” before freezing and can be used immediately upon thawing.
If you order a specimen which was not “washed” before freezing (at times called ICI-ready i.e. suitable for intra-cervical insemination), such a specimen needs to be processed after thawing and before the IUI at an extra charge. After completion of necessary paperwork, the specimen of your choice is either shipped or brought by you from a local sperm bank in a cryo-tank.
Recipient Screening: CMV IgG Antibody and Rh Factor
It is our recommendation that recipients have the following tests in advance of IUIs: Blood type and Rh factor (+ or -), Rubella IgG Antibody, Varicella IgG Antibody, HIV Antibody, Hepatitis Bs Antigen, Hepatitis C Antibody, RPR and CMV IgG Antibody.
For maximum safety women who test negative for CMV IgG Antibody may wish to use a sperm donor who is also negative for the CMV IgG Antibody. If the recipient has either tested negative for CMV IgG or has not been tested for CMV IgG but has chosen a sperm donor who is positive for CMV IgG, she will need to sign a waiver before Dr. Chetkowski can perform the IUI. Likewise, women who are Rh- may wish to select an Rh- donor.
Open Identity Donors
Whereas sperm donors have been traditionally anonymous and thus not open to future contact with the offspring, recently a few sperm banks have recruited donors who are willing to have their identity released when the child reaches maturity. The sperm banks with open identity donors are identified by an asterisk in the list below.
Payment
Frequently, IUI is not a covered benefit so payment is expected at the time of service. To find out about your insurance benefits, check the booklet provided by the employer or call the insurance company well in advance of the treatment cycle. If you have IUI coverage, please inform Maria Castillo in Dr. Chetkowski’s office so that she can request an authorization for this service. Such authorization may take up to five working days to process, so make sure that you provide us with sufficient advance notice to secure it for your benefit .