To ask, if you had a baby with donor sperm…

[Selenaso]

How long the whole process took? Not really an AIBU, posting for traffic. It’s something I’m currently investigating, as a single woman, and I’m just trying to figure out all the processes and timelines. From what I can gather, you contact a private clinic, they run some fertility tests on you to make sure it’s actually a viable prospect (and decide whether to recommend that you do IUI or IVF), and ask you to do a counselling session to make sure you understand all the implications involved. Then if things look positive you select a donor from one of the online banks. But how long does it take from selecting a donor to when you can actually have treatment? I’ve seen some mentions online of quarantining the sperm for six months to make sure it doesn’t have any diseases - is this correct? If it’s something you’ve done, how long did it take you from contacting the clinic to actually having your first IUI or IVF treatment?

I imagine this will vary a lot depending on which clinic you use. I’d call the one you want to use and ask them.

It all depends on your circumstances and the clinic.

Might take multiple rounds to get viable eggs from you etc.

Thanks, but what I’m asking is how long it takes from deciding to do it to beginning treatment, not how long the treatment itself takes. E.g. is it typically a long wait for the counsellor session? Does the sperm you choose have to be quarantined for six months before you can use it? Etc. Is it realistic to think you could choose to do it and be starting treatment within a month or two, or is it likely to be much longer than that? Calling the clinic is a good shout but I’m still considering which one to use. I was just wondering if people on here had experiences with how long it had taken which they might share.

Not saying it is a good or bad idea. But if you used a donor App / Site / Facebook group, couldn't you get started straight away?

We bought our sperm and made contact in February 2021 and had first IUI procedure in August. Probably could have done it earlier, but I was a teacher so wanted to wait until the summer holidays. We definitely didn't need to quarantine the sperm!

I've just remembered, my first appointment with the clinic was in April- that's when they did all the fertility tests and HIV/Hepatitis tests.

You have to ask the clinic these questions.

About six months to get through all the processes.

Sperm isn’t quarantined; they have it already frozen.

Is there a reason why you’re incapable of reading or understanding the post above where I said that I’m asking for people’s experiences?

What does it matter? If i took 10 months, and another took 6 months and another took 2 years? How does that help?

Every woman's experience is different because of their bodies, their reasons, their clinics, their circumstances etc

It's depends on YOU and the clinic you use... So you need to ask the clinic you want what their typical experience is...

I think the thing is that every experience will be different because each clinic is different- so the only way to know a timeline is to contact a clinic and find out their process and their availability.

If being quick is important to you then ring a few and choose the quickest!

Sounds like this thread isn’t for you. That’s fine. Bye!

... Sorry for trying to help you actually get an answer that will be of use to you and your situation...

14 months from initial tests to baby being delivered. I was very lucky everything went smoothly.

Jesus fucking Christ. What shitty behaviour from the OP.

Insane isn’t it.

Hi. We contacted the clinic first and were put on their list for checks and tests- this took around 6- 7 due to waiting times. If you are going fully to private this would probably be quicker. We then bought our donor and that arrived at the clinic and the clinic do their own tests on sperm quantity etc. This took another month or so but sperm arrives frozen and prepared so it doesn’t need any quarantining . We were ready to start the first IUI within a year.

If you were going straight to IVF this would take longer as you need egg retrieval. I think it does depend on the type of clinic you are using and the type of treatment you wish to pursue but I’d roughly work off a year. Hope that helps!

The tests and things took about four months I think. The donor sperm was through the clinic rather than through a separate bank which made things quicker. The actual treatment took a few years. Happy to answer any questions if you would like to pm me.

Waiting times really do depend on the clinic. For me it was more of a wait than I wanted but it was 2021 so
covid played a part in that. I had initial tests in March, then had to wait a month or so for counselling and consultant appt. Then had to ring on day 1 of my cycle a few times before I got a month when they had space. Started treatment in late July.
The quarantine for sperm is only if you find a donor yourself and they freeze the sperm- if it’s from a sperm bank then you can use it straight away.

Initial appointment at clinic in May. All tests with results such as smear etc completed by August. Ordered sperm in august and delivered in a couple of weeks. Clinic said I could start whenever I wanted. I had my first IUI in October. Another cancelled cycle in November and my successful cycle was December. DC born in September.

I know of a few people who have gone to Danish clinics in the past and have found it very quick, a matter of weeks I believe.

I had my initial tests in the February and egg collection was at the end of July. In between that time the clinic was closed because of Covid, so it was pretty quick really. I had to wait until October before embryo transfer though, because I hyperstimulated.

By the time the sperm is for sale it’s already been quarantined. The bank does all that before they’ll ship it to your clinic.

Does it really take months to get sperm from a clinic? I'm fascinated by this as assumed it was a quicker process. I mean, you could have a one night stand and get pregnant tomorrow. It seems mad that it takes months to even do first round of sperm

I don’t remember it taking months. There are various tests first that take time, and you can take as long as you like choosing the sperm, but I don’t remember hanging around waiting for sperm being a thing.

There are a lot more checks on donated sperm than one night stands!