When it comes to selecting a potential sperm
bank for your pregnancy, there are a few questions you need to ask. Choosing
your potential bank is just as important as choosing your donor when it comes
time. Using these tips and questions to ask yourself and the sperm bank can
help you to choose the right one to work with. Remember these when it comes
time to interview or research potential banks for your future child.
Are
they accredited?
There is a strict policy that banks must go
through to be accredited by the AATB, the American Association of Tissue Banks.
Not many of the sperm banks around have done this and so you want to find one
that has submitted to this stringent process. You want to know that they not
only hold up to their guidelines but that they have been accredited and
inspected.
How
long has it been around?
Experience is important especially when it
comes to making a new life. You want to know that your sperm bank is
experienced and has been around a while before you choose to use them.
Do
Doctors Own and Operate?
Take a look at who owns and operates the
facility. You want there to be a high standard of ethics and responsibility in
the facility. Make sure you ask who owns the facility and how much involvement
they have.
How in
depth is the donor screening?
Your donor choice will be a little easier
when you know that they have been screened in depth and that there are no
hidden dangers. Genetic screenings and infectious disease tests should be made
available to you when you are choosing your donor.
Does
the bank charge donors differently?
Some banks may decide to charge a donor
differently for items like a preferred blood type or personality trait. Some do
not and only charge everyone the same as they are all considered equal. You
want to be sure you know their processes and how they handle donors.
What
about an open donor program?
When your child reaches 18 they may want to
contact their father. If so does your sperm bank of choice allow that? Be sure
to ask them as the child may eventually want to know where they came from, what
diseases run in the family and other questions. You want to know this upfront
so that when your child is old enough you know how to answer those questions.
What
about genetic counselors?
Does the sperm bank you are considering
employ them full time or are they just consultants? This is important as they
provide critical information on screening donors and helping to know what
factors may play into your child’s life. You may want to go with a sperm bank
that has these employees as a full time status and not just as a consultant.
These are just a few of the questions you
need to consider when you are choosing your sperm bank location. Not all sperm
banks are considered equal and you want the best for your family. Be sure to
ask questions and research each choice to make sure you are making an informed
decision.
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