How it Works

Jump to a section

• Opening an account
• Choosing your donor
• Donor types
• Vial types
• What paperwork is needed
• Vial storage
• Scheduling a shipment
• Scheduling a pick-up (local only)
• Directed donors
• Open Donors
• Anonymous Donors
• FAQ

Opening an account

To create an account, click the “Parent Registration” button in the top, right. By providing some basic information, you will be able to complete your account set up and start browsing our donor database.

Choosing your donor

The Fertility Center of California has completely redesigned the donor database to greatly improve searchability of our sperm donors to help you find the best fit.

Filters

Please feel free to browse through all of the available donors or use the blue “Filters” button in the top-right to fine tune your search to find only the donors that meet your needs. Please bear in mind that in general: the more filters used, the fewer donors that will match to your search results.

Favorites

You may save any donors that catch your attention to refer back to by clicking on the star icon in the corner of the donor’s profile picture. To access your favorites, click on “My Favorites” at the very top of the page. You will see a blue circle with a number within, indicating how many donors are in your favorites.

Saved searches

You can save your search criteria for easy reference to all of the donors that meet these criteria or to easily find new donors that also meet these criteria. To save your search, apply all filters that you desire, then select the “Save this Search” button. You will be asked to give this specific search a name to distinguish it from any other saved searches. To access your saved searches, please click “Saved Searches” at the very top of the page. You will notice a blue circle with a number inside, indicating how many saved searches you have. After clicking “Saved Searches,” you can select any previously saved searches and immediately pull up the results of all donors that match this criteria.

Saved searches

You can save your search criteria for easy reference to all of the donors that meet these criteria or to easily find new donors that also meet these criteria. To save your search, apply all filters that you desire, then select the “Save this Search” button. You will be asked to give this specific search a name to distinguish it from any other saved searches. To access your saved searches, please click “Saved Searches” at the very top of the page. You will notice a blue circle with a number inside, indicating how many saved searches you have. After clicking “Saved Searches,” you can select any previously saved searches and immediately pull up the results of all donors that match this criteria.

Profile items

After searching the database, favoriting donors, or referring to your saved searches, we hope that you will be able to find the donor that matches most to all of your criteria. You may also learn more about the donor physical attributes, ethnicity, personality, abilities, medical history, and talents by reading through his profiles, personality report, genetic testing, baby photos, handwriting sample, audio clip, and so on (if available). All of these items have been generated with the intention of helping you to get a better understanding of the donor so that you may feel comfortable with your decision of using this donor.

Photo matching

We also have a free photo matching service. This service would be utilized to find a donor that resembles the partner. Our donor coordinator will compare photos of all donors against the submitted photo and provide a short list of several donors that most closely resemble the intended individual. Please contact one of our offices to request more information.

Donor types

Anonymous donor - anonymous donor has consented to donating sperm and providing information about himself and his family members. This type of donor has not consented to sharing any identifying information about himself now or in the future. Children of these donors are not eligible for a facilitated meeting with their donor. All of Fertility Center of California’s anonymous donors have the option to convert to an open donor if they choose.

Open donor - an open donor has willingly consented to a single contact with a child once that child turns 18 years of age. This contact may be facilitated by the Fertility Center of California or not based on the request of the donor. The method of contact may consist of a telephone call, letter, or email. The donor is consenting to a single meeting with the child, after that, any additional contact is at the discretion of the donor and the child. Please note that while the Fertility Center of California will do everything possible to make contact with the donor and arrange this meeting, there may be situations beyond our control that may prevent a donor-child contact from occurring. Learn more about open donors here.

Directed donor - A directed sperm donor is a friend, a family member or someone who voluntarily donates his sperm for use in assisted reproductive procedures. Another term for a directed sperm donor is known or designated donor. This individual has been personally selected by the couple or the single woman, and is not sexually intimate with the ultimate recipient of the sperm. Learn more about directed donors here.

Vial Types

ICI vials (Intra-Cervical Insemination) contain unwashed semen, they are also known as ICI-ready vials meaning that they were prepared specifically for an ICI procedure. These vials are appropriate for use with at-home insemination. In an at-home insemination the sperm are deposited into the vaginal canal where the cervix will only allow the sperm into the uterus and not the seminal debris. To be used for an in-office insemination, the vial would need to be washed prior which reduces the concentration of sperm and voids the concentration guarantee. These vials can be used with at-home insemination or for an IVF procedure.

IUI vials (Intra-Uterine Insemination) contain washed semen, they are also known as IUI-ready vials, meaning that they were prepared specifically for an IUI procedure. The washing technique removes the seminal debris and proteins and leaves just the sperm in a neutral, sperm friendly media. This makes them appropriate for an IUI procedure where a medical provider will use a catheter to deposit the sperm inside the uterus. These washed vials can be used with either artificial insemination technique, that is at-home insemination or in-office inseminations, or for IVF procedures.

IVF/ART vials (in vitro fertilization/assisted reproductive technologies) are of very low concentration since IVF procedures require very few sperm. These vials should not be used for any type of artificial insemination. IUI and ICI vials can also be used for an IVF procedure.

What paperwork is needed

Required for everyone

• Agreement to Use Donor Sperm

For those intending to store vials for any length of time

• Cryobanking Agreement

For those that plan on shipping their vials or for local pick-ups

• Tank Rental Agreement

Vial storage

If you are not planning on using your purchased vial(s) immediately, want to prepare for future siblings or any other reason in between, we have you covered. You can store your vials through Sperm Bank, Inc / Fertility Center of California via the assistance of our sister company, Family Fertility CryoBank. You can select any duration of time that fits your needs or budget from storing on a monthly basis to storing for several years.

When your vials are in storage, they are expertly maintained by the cryobiologists at our facility who manually check the tanks three times per week. Why manually? Because technology inevitably glitches and these precious materials deserve that kind of attention to detail to ensure their safety.

Scheduling a shipment

Once you know which donor and vial type that you would like to purchase, add the vial(s) to your cart. The check out system will allow you to decide what to do with your vials – if you would like to store / ship / or pick-up (local only)

The check out system will also prompt you to choose the date of shipment. Please note that vials can only be shipped DOMESTICALLY at this time. All shipments are mailed next-day, meaning that you are selecting the day that it will leave the Fertility Center of California, not the day that it is delivered. For example, if the vial(s) are shipped on a Monday, they will be delivered on a Tuesday. Please select your shipment date accordingly to ensure the correct delivery day.

All shipments are Next-Day Air shipments, however, delays do occur and are beyond our control. If a vial is needed on a specific day, we recommend scheduling the shipment two to three days in advance.

Scheduling a pick-up (local only)

Once you know which donor and vial type that you would like to purchase, add the vial(s) to your cart. The check out system will allow you to decide what to do with your vials – if you would like to store / ship / or pick-up (local only).

Please note that for the pick-up, you must be physically present at one of our offices. The check out system will prompt you to choose the date of pick-up and the office location: San Diego or Tustin. You may then also pick an appointment time for your pick-up to be scheduled.

If you are not able to be physically present, you may provide a “guest” to pick-up the sample. You will need to provide the guest’s full name and the number of their State-issued License in order for our office to confirm that this is the person that you are permitting to be responsible for your precious cargo. Please contact the office that you have an appointment with in order to provide this information.

Directed Donors

A directed sperm donor is a friend, a family member or someone who voluntarily donates his sperm for use in assisted reproductive procedures. Another term for a directed sperm donor is known or designated donor. This individual has been personally selected by the couple or the single woman, and is not sexually intimate with the ultimate recipient of the sperm.

While the directed donor approach may not be the best choice for everyone, for many couples it is a wonderful option. The Fertility Center of California, Sperm Bank Inc., recommends legal and psychological assistance before making this important decision to sort out future considerations and lay down a solid ground work to start from. Compared to the anonymous or open sperm donor program, the directed donor program has many legal, medical, social and familial issues to consider. Appropriate referrals to professional support are available upon request.

Directed sperm donors are screened similarly to anonymous or open sperm donors before they can be accepted in our program. This is done expressly for your safety and is mandated by various regulatory agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The Fertility Center of California follows all of these requirements and even performs additional testing to ensure your safety as much as possible. Directed donor candidates must complete a thorough medical history questionnaire, undergo a physical examination, semen analysis, various tests for infectious diseases and genetic screening.

Open Donors

What is an Open Donor?

An open donor is a sperm donor that has consented to being contacted one time by any adult-aged donor child conceived from his donations. The donor will remain anonymous to all parties involved and only the donor child may request a donor contact. It is up to the donor and the child if they would like to exchange identifying information at this point.

Contact guidelines for child-donor contact

• Parent must submit live birth report to include: date of child’s birth, confirm donor code, and child’s full name
• Upon at least 18 years of age, the child should contact the Fertility Center of California to request a meeting. A short packet will be mailed to the child that discusses basic identifying information, contact information, and preferred method of contact with the donor. Please note that only the child may request contact with the donor.
• The donor will be contacted to discuss the preferred method of meeting.
• A mutually agreed upon contact will be facilitated between the donor and child with the Fertility Center of California as the mediary. The donor may also choose that FCC not mediate.
• The contact methods may include an anonymous, mediated phone call/email/or letter.
• Beyond this single contact, any further contact or disclosure of identifying information is solely at the will of the donor and child.
• Every effort will be made to contact the donor to facilitate a meeting, however some unforseen circumstances may prevent this meeting from occurring.

Live births

Open donors are limited to 10 family units. Each family unit may have 1 child or several. It is important that parents submit a live birth report in order for Fertility Center of California / Sperm Bank, Inc to maintain this live birth maximum and in order for their child to be eligible to request a meeting with their donor.

Anonymous Donors

An anonymous donor is a sperm donor that is to remain anonymous and no contact will occur between the anonymous donor, the donor children, or the recipients.

Live births

Anonymous donors follow the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) that the donor should have no more than 10 children per 1 million in a geographic region. It is important that parents submit a live birth report in order for the Fertility Center of California / Sperm Bank, Inc to maintain this live birth maximum.

The anonymous donors at Sperm Bank, Inc / Fertility Center of California always have the option of converting to an open donor if they are open to contact with donor children.

If an anonymous donor converts to an open donor, all families that have previously used that donor and had a pregnancy or live birth will be notified and given the opportunity to submit a live birth report (if they have not) so that their child will be eligible to request a meeting with the donor upon 18 years of age.

FAQ

General

• Do I need to use a fertility clinic?
  • You do not need to be under the care of a fertility specialist, but we do strongly recommend speaking with your primary care physician or OBGYN. Having a provider to discuss treatment options, ovulation detection, genetic test results, and to help you find a suitable donor is invaluable. Your provider knows your medical history and can best direct you in all of the above and more. Fertility Center of California staff cannot provide medical advice given that we do not know your specific history and are not qualified to direct your medical care in the first place.
• Who can benefit from using donor sperm?
  • Single-females, same-sex female couples, and heterosexual couples where the male partner may be experiencing fertility issues are all examples of possible recipients to using donor sperm.

Donor

• Donor qualification process
  • The sperm donors at Sperm Bank, Inc / Fertility Center of California undergo rigorous screening to ensure only the best individuals are accepted. At a minimum, all sperm donors undergo comprehensive semen analysis testing, medical history review, background checks, psychological assessment, infectious disease testing, and extensive genetic testing. Less than 2% of applicants are actually accepted into the SBI/FCC sperm donor program.
• Donor types (open / anonymous / directed > link to more info for DD)
  • See more about the difference between each type of donor here.
• Vial types
  • See more about the different vial types here.
• Available information on donors
  • Available information will vary from donor to donor depending on what the donor consented to sharing. At most, a donor may have the following available:
    • Long profile with familial medical history
    • Baby pictures
    • Extended genetic testing report
    • Keirsey personality profile
    • Audio sample
    • Handwriting sample
    • Staff impression
    • Adult-aged photo
• Donors out of vials
  • A donor will be listed on the website if that donor is available for public purchase. Once all of the available vials from a donor have been sold or used, the donor will no longer be listed. If the donor reaches the live birth limit, the donor will not be available for public purchase. If the donor is anonymous and has reached the live birth limit, that donor will no longer be available to a geographic area (regardless of intended sibling use) in order to keep geographic live births to a minimum. If the donor is an open donor and has reached the live birth limit, any remaining vials will be available only to families with a previously reported live birth from that donor for use in conceiving a sibling.
• Live birth limits
  • Anonymous donors follow the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) that the donor should have no more than 10 children per 1 million in a geographic region.
  • Open donors are limited to 10 family units. Each family unit may have 1 child or several.
• What is CMV Status?
  • Per the Mayo Clinic, “Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus. Once infected, your body retains the virus for life. Most people don't know they have CMV because it rarely causes problems in healthy people. If you're pregnant or if your immune system is weakened, CMV is cause for concern. Women who develop an active CMV infection during pregnancy can pass the virus to their babies, who might then experience symptoms…. CMV spreads from person to person through body fluids, such as blood, saliva, urine, semen and breast milk. There is no cure, but there are medications that can help treat the symptoms.” -https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cmv/symptoms-causes/syc-20355358?sscid=c1k6_k8rn2&
• What if the donor is a carrier for a genetic condition?
  • If the donor is a known carrier for a specific genetic condition, Fertility Center of California/Sperm Bank, Inc recommend that the egg source (the female) also receive genetic testing in order to see if she is a carrier for the same condition. Regardless of the female’s carrier status or choice for genetic testing, it is recommended that she discuss the donor’s genetic test results with her physician and/or with a certified genetic counselor. You can find a genetic counselor near you here (https://findageneticcounselor.nsgc.org/ ).
• Donor Reactivation
  • If a parent has had a live birth from a sperm donor that is no longer available, the parent may request that he be “reactivated” in order to collect more samples for the parent’s private use towards the conception of a sibling. This process will be performed at the intended parent’s expense and can cost the parent several thousand dollars. It is important to note that this is also based on the donor’s consent to participate. All samples collected from a reactivated donor will need to be quarantined for a minimum of 6 months and retested for infectious diseases per FDA regulations. This means that the process as a whole can conservatively take 9-12 months. Please contact [email protected] for more information.
• Additional genetic testing for a donor
  • An intended parent may request that a sperm donor have additional genetic testing performed. Sperm Bank, Inc / Fertility Center of California requires that the patient submit a signed note from their doctor to request the additional tests. The tests will be performed at the intended parent’s expense and will need to be consented to by the donor. After the intended parent has submitted the request from their doctor, and agreed to the cost of the test, the donor will be contacted for his consent. If the donor consents, a test kit will be mailed to him. The results of this test will be provided to the intended parent and their doctor. Please note that many genetic tests take at least 3 weeks to complete. The process as a whole can take a minimum of 1-2 months from start to finish. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Help & Support

• Intended parent counseling with a licensed therapist
  • Clinical evidence suggests that meeting with a licensed therapist prior to using donor sperm or eggs is extremely beneficial to the parents. It is great for couples to have a chance to reflect on their own emotions related to this fertility journey. It is also highly recommended for help with being transparent with your child about their conception. Counseling is great for couples where one partner may not be a genetic contributor to the child and also for single-parents.
• Is there a guarantee on vial concentration?
  • Premium vials are expected to have at least 10 million motile sperm/vial and Platinum vials are expected to have at least 20 million motile sperm/vial. Interlaboratory procedures and techniques can lead to +/- 30% variability in sperm concentration, motility, and volume recovery. This means that the total motile sperm count of a Premium vial is expected to fall between 7 million motile sperm and 13 million motile sperm, and a Platinum vial is expected to fall between 14 million motile sperm and 26 million motile sperm. If your donor vial falls even below the expected recovery quoted above, please contact [email protected] to request a Sub-Standard Vial Report for your facility to submit.

Purchasing

• Can I cancel or change my vial order?
  • If you need to cancel or reschedule your shipping date/pick up appointment time, please contact our office at: San Diego: 619-265-0102, Tustin: 714-730-3060.
• Do you have a vial buyback option?
  • If the vial has not left our facility, then you may request a buyback of the vial with a 50% restocking fee. The viability of vials that have left our facility cannot be guaranteed, therefore they are not eligible for buyback.
• What payment methods do you accept?
  • We accept all major forms of valid credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover).
• Differences in subscription levels
  • We have different subscription levels to fit your needs and budget. View them here. Once you purchase a subscription, it will be active for 30 days and you will be able to access all materials included in the subscription for all donors, if available. The subscription will not auto-renew.
• Is financing available?
  • Fertility Center of California/Sperm Bank, Inc can certainly put together a custom financing plan for you upon request. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Vial Storage

• Storing for long term
  • If you are not planning on using the vial(s) right away, you may purchase the vial to save it for your future use. You will need to complete the Cryobanking Agreement in your account (Dashboard > Forms), which includes some directives for the handling of the vial in case something were to happen to you and also includes an insurance policy on your vial(s). You can browse storage prices here.
• Can I extend my storage time?
  • To extend storage time, you may contact the nearest office to provide payment over the phone for any additional duration that you choose. Storage prices can be browsed here.
• How many vials to purchase for future siblings
  • The standard recommendation (irrespective of potential fertility concerns) is that it may take up to 6 artificial inseminations to achieve 1 pregnancy. Therefore, many providers recommend purchasing or having 6 vials available per 1 child. IVF can be a little more nuanced. Regardless of your intended treatment plan (IVF/IUI/ICI), FCC recommends that you consult with your provider to determine an appropriate quantity of vials to reserve for future use based on your unique fertility needs.

After Pregnancy

• Second parent adoption letter
  • Fertility Center of California/Sperm Bank, Inc is happy to put together a formal letter to submit for parental rights of the non-birth parent. Please submit the following information to [email protected]:
    • address of partner
    • name and date of birth of mother
    • name and date of birth of partner
    • name and date of birth of baby
    • donor code
    • date of insemination
• How do I report a positive pregnancy or birth?
  • Please call our office (San Diego: 619-265-0102, Tustin: 714-730-3060) directly or send an email to [email protected] to share your good news! Reporting the news of your positive pregnancy or live birth allows Fertility Center of California/Sperm Bank, Inc to maintain accurate records of our donors and also to ensure that your child will be eligible to meet with their open donor if the donor was an open donor.
• Child registration for open donor eligibility
  • To ensure that your child will be eligible to request a meeting with their open donor, you should email [email protected] along with your child’s full name, child’s date of birth, and the donor used.
• Save vials for future siblings?
  • If you intend to have more than one child with the same donor, Fertility Center of California/Sperm Bank, Inc recommends that you purchase extra vials to guarantee their availability for your future use.
  • The standard recommendation (irrespective of potential fertility concerns) is that it may take up to 6 artificial inseminations to achieve 1 pregnancy. Therefore, many providers recommend purchasing or having 6 vials available per 1 child. IVF can be a little more nuanced. Regardless of your intended treatment plan (IVF/IUI/ICI), FCC recommends that you consult with your provider to determine an appropriate quantity of vials to reserve for future use based on your unique fertility needs.