– By Kris Bevilacqua, Ph.D

Most women are aware their biological clock is ticking as they get into their 30’s. Early in their 30’s they are often looking for Mr. Right, by their mid-30’s they are getting more anxious about finding Mr. Right as the pool of possibilities ebbs, and as they age into their later 30’s women often begin considering options such as becoming single mothers through sperm donation.

Admittedly, there is nothing romantic about using a sperm donor for a woman who imagined being swept off her feet by love and lust.   But donor insemination is a medical procedure that works better than sex, even if it is much less intimate and no one will ask “Was it good for you?”

No woman asks a man on her first date for his sperm count. That type of question by is likely to be answered with a lewd offer suggesting how to find out. Or perhaps it would mark the end of what looked like a promising relationship. In truth, most men have no idea what their sperm count is. They usually believe they have so much sperm that they could accidently create an unwanted pregnancy. In truth, many men have low sperm counts and need reproductive assistance.

What should you know about insemination with donor sperm?

Donor insemination works better than sex because the sperm goes directly into the uterus, bypassing vaginal and cervical mucus in order to take a short cut to the fallopian tubes where the sperm will begin their search for the egg of the month. Donor insemination also is more successful than sex because donor sperm is guaranteed to be good sperm.  This means that there is plenty of swimming sperm in each vial that has been ordered.  The sperm banks have already asked, and verified under the microscope, about the donor’s sperm count.

Donor insemination doesn’t hurt.   A woman is aware of the procedure as it is happening. However, a standard PAP smear procedure is more uncomfortable that a routine insemination. The most difficult aspect of using donor sperm may be the selection process because there are so many donors to choose from at the various commercial sperm banks we use here at GENESIS. Among the several thousand sperm donors available, which one is Mr. Right?

Original post August 18, 2015
Updated November 9, 2022