Sperm Donor Cost And Its Other Hidden Charges

Having a baby can be difficult. No, we’re not talking maintaining or taking care of a baby, instead, we’re talking about the process of trying and becoming pregnant. Believe it or not, many individuals experience fertility problems. That’s why it is hard for them to produce a baby. To overcome this, most seek the help of assisted reproductive technology – one of which is getting a sperm donor. And some reminder, looking and acquiring a donor cost anything but cheap. 

What Are The Costs for Acquiring A Sperm Donor?

Hiring the assistance of a donor cost is expensive. A single vial of sperm sold in the fertility market cost around $400 to $900. Take note that this only covers the donor cost. The freezing, storing, reheating and inseminating still have their separate charges. 

Acquiring this is expensive because, for one, women who are looking for this want the highest quality of sperm possible. Hence, there is a lot of labor needed to be able to produce quality sperm. Furthermore, not just anyone can be a sperm donor.

 

“We screen thousands and thousands of men at our five locations. And only about one percent of them make it through. Statistically, it is harder to get into the sperm donor program than to get admitted to an Ivy League School. It is not just the quality control that drives up the donor cost. It is the packaging of who the sperm belongs to is also folded into the price point,” shares Fairfax Cryobank Laboratory Director Michelle Ottey. 

What Are The Other Hidden Charges?

As mentioned above, the $400 to $900 price range only covers donor cost. There are other hidden charges that the clients should consider. 

Extended Profile Charges

Some women also want to have a glimpse of what the sperm donor looks like. However, because of the contract of the clinic with the donor, they are not allowed to disclose his identity. The best thing they can do to appease women is by sending “extended profiles” of the donors. 

The “extended profiles” include three baby photos of the donor. Attached to this are some of the necessary information about him, which won’t be a factor in disclosing him. Some clinics also offer promos which allow the women to have access to the sperm bank’s catalog. This way, they will be able to pinpoint which kind of sperm donor is the best for them. 

These “extended profiles” entail an additional $40 while the 90-day subscription costs around $100 to $200. 

Legal Costs

Sperm donation results in a non-traditional family setting – and that means, it is more complicated. There are times that parental complications arise. Some sperm donors look for ways to have custody of the child that they have donated their sperm to. These kinds of problems entail additional cos since you have to bring this case to court. 

Storage Costs

Remember, sperm cannot survive being placed in a regular kitchen freezer.   Sperm has to be stored in specialized facilities. According to Dr. Juan Alvarez of the Fertility Center of Illinois, “The best place to freeze sperm is at a sperm bank or fertility clinic.” Any other method of storage could damage or kill the sperm cells.

Usually, donors give out donations to cover some storage fee, but once this has paid for the first month, women must settle their payments. Costs are approximately priced at $50 per month.

Trial Costs

The reality is, not all women get pregnant on their first try. According to the American Pregnancy Association, success rates can be anywhere from 60-80%. Hence, the cost multiplies depending on the number of attempts until it becomes successful. Several clients even add an extra payment to reserve vials because they are afraid that another recipient will swoop in to buy the remaining stocks of the sperm bank. This situation is an additional expense for them. 

 

Shipment And Rental Cost

Whenever women are about to ovulate, and there is no available stock in the bank, the vials have to be delivered rushed to either the doctor’s office or the patient’s house. Since it is sudden, the higher the shipment cost. The shipping cost starts from $200 and gets more expensive during weekends. 

The vials also come with a nitrogen tank. The nitrogen tank entails additional rental fee around $25 to $50 per day. 

Intrauterine Insemination (ICI) Cost

Let’s say that the woman has chosen the best sperm and that she is already ovulating; the next step is to insert the sperm into her body. This action can be done through several medical procedures, but the most common one is the intrauterine insemination (ICI). This process requires the medical professional to insert a piece of the catheter until the cervix. It is to ensure that the sperm is being injected directly into the uterus. 

This procedure costs half of the donor cost – between $375 to $450 per insemination attempt. The ICI cost is high because of what we call the “washing” process. This is the part where experts separate the excellent swimmers from the bad or dead sperms. The process increases the client’s chances of getting pregnant. The ICI fee is priced at this rate because of this rigorous process. 

Medical Cost

There are times that the mother gives birth to babies with defects. These children usually inherit these from their father. Once this happens, the client also has to set aside money for medical costs aside from the cost. A lot of people won’t even consider saving up for this, but it’s better to be prepared than to be helpless in those times. 

At times, insurance will cover these costs. However, those who are planning to acquire this procedure should be aware of the whole process. Remember, the sperm in the vial is not the only donor cost; several hidden charges also go along with it. So, be ready. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. How much does it cost to get sperm?
  2. How much do sperm donors cost UK?
  3. Why does sperm cost so much?
  4. How can I get free sperm?
  5. How much is a straw of sperm?
  6. How much is a cup of sperm?
  7. What is the price of 1 ml sperm?
Kathy Urbanski

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