Sperm donation is a simpler method of Assisted Reproduction, and it is preferred in cases where the prospective father either has no sperm or is a carrier of a genetic hereditary disease. In addition, sperm donation can even help a single woman, who does not have a permanent partner, to become a mother. In such a case, the sperm of the donor will be used either for intrauterine insemination or, alternatively, for IVF.
Men donors who are fulfilling the appropriate criteria (good mobility of sperm, good number, good morphology, according to World Health Organization criteria), can donate their sperm. The candidates are provoking into a series of examination to be improved that everything is normal and healthy. Respecting to the legislation, there is an aging scale (a maximum age often around 40 or 50 years) that is usually set, in order to avoid indications of inferior quality sperm.
Finally it is important to underlie a controversy towards the ovum donation; sperm donation and according to the Greek legislation, the candidate donor may be either anonymous or known to the recipient. Donations that are accomplished and offered to a known recipient are called direct. The person who wants to become a sperm donor is important to know that there is no risk for his health, which is associated with the process. The reward, of course, is so much as covers the time spent by the donor. Most sperm banks set a limit on the number of children who can be born with the help of the same donor. However, criteria vary from bank to bank and country to country.