Donor sperm can help patients and their partners make their dreams come true

At ArkLaTex Fertility, we know that struggling to have a baby can feel disheartening. David T. Vandermolen MD, MS, our fertility specialist, combines compassionate care and clinical excellence to deliver unparalleled results for our patients. Dr. Vandermolen will develop a personalized treatment plan, which may include donor sperm, to enable you and your partner to achieve your parenthood goals.

Understanding male factor infertility

When people think about infertility, they often consider the issue a female problem. Infertility, however, affects both men and women. Among couples struggling to conceive, a male factor is the sole cause in about 20% of cases, and is a contributing factor in another 30% to 40% of cases. Our ArkLaTex Fertility expert can identify and treat common causes of infertility in both men and women.

Should you consider donor sperm?

Couples and individuals looking to create or expand their families may choose donor sperm for a variety of reasons. In cases of male factor infertility, Dr. Vandermolen may recommend donated sperm, in conjunction with intrauterine insemination (IUI) or IVF. Other circumstances that may involve sperm from a donor include:

• Lesbian couples who want to build their families
• Single women who want to have a baby on their own
• Couples or individuals who want to avoid passing on genetic disorders to their children

How to choose a sperm donor

Once you decide to use sperm from a donor, you will need to begin evaluating possible candidates. One major consideration is whether to use a known or anonymous donor. Usually, a known sperm donor would be a close friend or relative. With an anonymous donor, you would select from available candidates through a sperm bank. In either case, potential sperm donors undergo rigorous testing before providing sperm.

Moving forward with donated sperm

After reviewing your options and deciding on a sperm donor, the next steps involve either IUI or IVF. For an IUI cycle, we will monitor the female patient and schedule an insemination appointment around the time of ovulation. During that visit, Dr. Vandermolen will place the prepared sperm inside the uterus.

When donated sperm is used during an IVF cycle, female patients will take medication to stimulate ovulation and then undergo egg retrieval. The eggs and sperm are combined in the laboratory, and the highest-quality embryo is transferred back into the uterus.

If you and your partner are struggling to conceive, we are here to help you move forward with your family-planning goals. At ArkLaTex Fertility, we offer proven infertility treatment options, including the use of donor sperm. Contact our office for more information or to schedule an appointment.