Much goes on behind the scenes to prepare donor sperm for use. In this post, we outline the process to help you understand what happens before vials arrive at your door or your clinic for use. We’ve written previously about how we carefully screen our sperm donors. So, once sperm quality is confirmed, samples are processed and concentrated into small batches and then placed into vials to be frozen. A compound is added to help facilitate the freezing process. Usually made of glycerol,...

When you’re trying to get pregnant using donor sperm, timing is everything. You need to time the shipping and arrival of your sperm samples. You need to time your insemination attempt. And most of all, you need to know the time frame when you're most likely to conceive—meaning your all-important fertility window. It’s a lot to remember. Fortunately, there’s technology to help you with that in the form of apps that track the signs and symptoms of fertility. But which one to choose? App prices...

Christine Ulbrich is a Donor Coordinator in Seattle Sperm Bank’s Phoenix clinic. Along with recruiting donors and helping them navigate the application and interviewing process, she also helps clients from our Seattle clinic select the right donor. What is a typical work day for you? My work days vary a lot. My main tasks include checking donors in and making sure their applications are complete, setting them up with blood work, reviewing donor profiles, doing genetic reviews, and ensuring all...

  If you or someone you know is a healthy man between the ages of 18 and 39, you may have what it takes to become a sperm donor. Since the number of women and couples who choose to extend their families with the help of donor gametes continues to grow, sperm donors are in high demand across the U.S. and the world. Currently, there is a need for us to diversify our ethnic selection of sperm donors, especially African American, Latino, and Hispanic men. These groups are in high demand yet...

  As a Client Services Coordinator at Seattle Sperm Bank, Kandy Lindstrom keeps busy. She handles multiple duties ranging from interacting with donors and potential donors to fulfilling Internet orders. But she spends the bulk of her time talking with clients and helping them start families. This includes helping with photo matching, answering questions about the process, and matching women and couples with the right donor. In this interview, Kandy shares advice for choosing a donor, what...

  For many women and couples, their first step toward parenthood with donor sperm is performing a home insemination. Some people find this to be a more comfortable and affordable method of conception compared to starting off in a clinical environment. This procedure, also known as intracervical insemination or “ICI,” can be an effective option for women with no fertility issues that can complicate their efforts. It involves using a plastic, needle-less syringe to inject the donor sperm...

  At Seattle Sperm Bank, we work hard to make acquiring your donor sperm as convenient and stress-free as possible. Below, we walk you through the most important steps for purchasing, ordering, and storing the vials of donor sperm you’ll need for your upcoming procedure. Before you order, of course, you must first choose your sperm donor. If you have not yet selected your donor, our online donor search is the best place to get started. If you need assistance selecting a donor, we offer...

Understanding your ovulation cycle is essential when you’re trying to get pregnant. Unless you have a known fertility issue, practicing good fertility awareness can dramatically increase your chance of conceiving. Plus, it’s inexpensive (if not free) and has no negative side effects. It’s one of the safest and most effective ways of improving your fertility. Below is a look at the most effective fertility awareness methods. Whether the method tracks your body temperature, cervical fluid, or...

According to an October 17, 2016, presentation at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine congress, there may be a correlation between soft drinks and decreased female fertility. The research was done by nutritionists at the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, who interviewed 524 women currently undergoing IVF treatment about the foods and drinks they consume. The findings suggest regularly drinking soft drinks may reduce a woman’s chance of getting pregnant. This was true whether...