We asked so you don’t have to.
Why become a sperm donor? How much money do you get being a sperm donor? What if there is a knock on the door one day and it is a donor child wanting to meet?
We talked with three of our donors, Jacob (26 years old), Henrik (25 years old), and Thomas (42 years old) to shed some light on the motivations for being a sperm donor.
What motivated you to become a sperm donor?
"I am a donor because many people struggle to have children. It is important to me to know that I help others getting the child of their dreams," Henrik says.
Thomas has children of his own and this has been his motivation to become a sperm donor: "I have children and I know the great joy of having children. I also have friends who are struggling with the fact that they can’t have children on their own. Therefore it is a great feeling to know that I make a difference for someone else.”
But is no one doing it for the money?
"Of course, there is an economic aspect, but it's not because I'm in the need of money. I look at it as a bonus," Henrik explains. Jacob says that he too became a sperm donor because he likes the idea of ​​helping other people achieving their dream but he also admits that there is an economic aspect. Jacob studies medicine at the university and it is nice to have a little extra as a supplement to the the state education grant (SU).
Fact: Sperm donors at Cryos International have the possibility to become compensated up to £60 per donation. The compensation depends on the quality and amount of the donation, so if you have good swimmers, you can get a nice little sum of money each month.
Is it embarrassing to deliver the product?
Jacob: "My first visit at Cryos was of course a little awkward. But now it feels quite normal. There is a nice atmosphere and people are nice."
Many, of course, are also curious to hear what a donor cabin looks like. Fact: the donor cabins consist of a TV screen and magazines with eroticism that appeals to most guys. The room is light, clean and very standard looking – so for those of you who were expecting a disco ball in the attic or a small dark room in a basement – no, that’s not at all how it is.
Have you thought about the donor children?
"There are many people who have a prejudice that I have a lot of children running around in the city where I live. But that’s not true. I think about it like this; the children that I help bring to the world become children of parents who really want them," Henrik explains. Jacob agrees and continues: "Of course, I understand some of the concerns you may have about the donor children. But for me, the children are a part of the families and the environment in which they grow up. We, as society, have proven that we are able to raise children and give them a great life even though they do not have genetic origin with their parents, and from that point of view, it's motivating for me to be a donor.”
Do you want children of your own?
"I have thought about having children in a few years, so I definitely understand those who want to become parents," Henrik says. Thomas already has children. He knows what a huge gift in life children are and encourages others to become sperm donors if they want to make a difference: "A lot of people don’t know their biological origins, and donor children are lucky to get parents who have been willing to fight to get them and who love them very much. I think that is great to think about as a donor.”
We hope the article answered some of your questions about the thoughts and motivations from a sperm donor’s point of view – and if this has peaked your interest even more you can watch the videos of Cryos’ sperm donors here:
(The sound is in Danish so remember to turn on the subtitles!)
Cryos International is the world’s largest sperm bank.
Their 30 years of experience has resulted in more than 800 donors who are all helping to achieve Cryos’ vision “To help the childless make their dream come true”.
With customers and delivery to more than 100 countries across the world, they do not just take pride in having the most donors, but also the widest selection of donors as well as free of charge access to their online donor search.
This expansive donor base, has allowed Cryos to help countless single women as well as lesbian and heterosexual couples in their pursuit of building a family. In fact, Cryos has over the years reached the highest number of registered donor sperm pregnancies in the world.
For more information visit our website here.