What
is therapeutic donor insemination?
Therapeutic donor insemination, or TDI as it is often referred to,
is the treatment of infertile couples with a male factor problem
with the use of anonymous donor sperm. The fertility problems that
make TDI a possible option for couples are azoospermia (or the absence
of any sperm), oligospermia (or few sperm) and a male that may carry
a genetic disorder and could pass this on to his offspring. |
What is the
history of TDI?
This procedure has been used since the fourteenth century. Presently,
thousands of babies are conceived yearly by this method of treatment.
The legal status
of the child born following TDI is still undetermined, but it is
generally agreed that children have legitimate status whenever the
procedure is done by a physician with the consent of the couple
in writing. |
Donors, who
are they?
The donors are usually males between the ages of 20 and 40 who
have a desire to donate their sperm for altruistic reasons.
Care is taken
to limit the number of pregnancies from any one donor to a total
of ten. The program is totally anonymous. Donors do not receive
any information as to the outcome of the sperm donation. |
What
criteria are used to screen the donors?
Each donor is carefully screened according to the Canadian Fertility
and Andrology Society recommendations. They must be free from all
communicable diseases and have a clean medical and psychosocial history.
The donor's semen count must meet certain criteria prior to acceptance
into the program. The screening process is so rigorous that only one-third
of the donors that apply for acceptance into the program actually
become donors. |
Why
is frozen sperm used?
Under no circumstances is it recommended that fresh sperm be used.
This is because of the possible transmission of the HIV virus through
fresh sperm. Freezing the sperm allows the sperm to be frozen while
the donor is undergoing repeated screening tests, such as the blood
test for the HIV virus. As the AIDS virus is spread through semen,
the donors are screened carefully and regularly. All semen that has
been saved and frozen is only used after it is quarantined for at
least six months and all testing is completed and normal. |
What
are the risks and problems of TDI?
 |
Disease:
As previously outlined, the donor is carefully screened for
disease. However, it is possible that disease may not be detected
by testing methods available to us. |
|
Genetic
abnormalities: The genetic or family background of the donor
is screened, but it must be understood by couples receiving
TDI that abnormalities may occur as in any pregnancy. |
|
No
pregnancy: There is no guarantee that a woman will become pregnant
with the use of donor sperm. If after six months of treatment
the woman is not pregnant, an appointment should be made to
discuss this with the physician. |
|
What is involved
for a couple wishing TDI?
Both partners in the relationship must be fully informed about
the procedure and be willing to sign a legal consent before treatment
is started.
As an active
patient, the female will call the clinic to book her inseminations
according to her predicted ovulation.
If you do not
keep or fail to cancel an insemination that has been booked, you
will be charged for the specimen which was prepared for you. |
