Semen donation

Verified 01 September 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

A man aged 18 to 44, with or without children, can give his sperm to couples composed of a man and a woman or 2 women. He can also give them to unmarried women. The donation is made in a hospital. It is free and anonymous.

The following 2 conditions must be met:

  • Be at least 18 years of age and less than 45 years of age
  • Be healthy. Medical tests are done before donation.

Please note

An emancipated minor cannot be a donor.

The procedure is carried out in a hospital within a sperm donation center.

Interview: Information collected

One or more pre-donation interviews are arranged between the medical team and the donor.

During this interview, the doctor collects the following information:

  • Identity of the donor
  • Identifiable donor data:
    • Age
    • General condition at the time of donation
    • Physical Characteristics
    • Family and professional situation
    • Country of birth
    • Written reasons for this donation

Data concerning the donor's identity and non-identifiable data shall be collected in a standard form.

Pre-maintenance: information transmitted to the donor

During the pre-interview, the doctor verifies that the donor meets the conditions for making the donation.

The pre-interview also informs him:

  • Regulations related to gamete donation, including the inability of recipients and third-party donors to know their respective identities
  • The consequences of this gift in relation to filiation. No legal affiliation can be established between the person born from a sperm donation and the donor.
  • That a preliminary assessment of the feasibility of the donation will be made by the medical team
  • Rules related to access for persons designed by MPA: titleContent with the donor third party to the non-identifying data and the identity of the donor and the need to consent to the disclosure of such data in order to make the donation.
  • That his anonymous medical record (including his medical history, number of children born from the donation, date of collection and written consent) will be kept for a minimum of 40 years

Collection of consent

After the interviews, the medical team collects the donor's consent in writing.

Since 1er september 2022, the donor must give his consent, for each donation, to the transmission of his non-identifying data (examples: age, physical character) and his identity. This data may only be communicated to persons born of this donation by their majority, if they so request.

Please note

When the donation was made before 1er september 2022, the identity and non-identifying data of the donor shall not be communicated to the persons from that donation who have made an access request. Donor consent is required. However, the donor may voluntarily consent to the disclosure of his identity and non-identifying data by contacting the Commission d'accès des personnes nae d'aide Médicale à la Reproduction (CAPADD).

The donor's consent to the disclosure of his identity and non-identifying data shall be collected in a standard form. This form is kept by the health facility.

Donor consent is free and can be withdrawn at any time, until gametes are used.

A follow-up study is offered to the donor. He has to accept it in writing.

Sperm collection is by masturbation.

One 1er This sample is used to study semen, in particular its resistance to freezing.

The results of the 1er sampling determines the number of subsequent collections to be made.

A microbiological examination is done to determine whether the donation can be retained.

If so, sperm are frozen and then stored in a laboratory until they are assigned to recipients for assisted reproductive technology.

Sperm donation is not paid.

The medical costs of the donation are fully covered by the health insurance.

Non-medical expenses (accommodation, transport, etc.) may be covered by the hospital on presentation of supporting documents.

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