Becoming a donor

Becoming a donor has many benefits, including:

• Helping people experience the joy of family.
• Making a positive difference in someone else’s life.
• Receiving information about your fertility, including results of a semen analysis, genetic screening and other tests.
• Passing on your genes to the next generation.

Potential recipients are able to view a donor profile we create for you. These donor profiles are non-identifying, and include information about your:

• medical history
• nationality
• height and build
• skin colour, eye colour and hair colour
• occupation
• education
• interests and hobbies
• reason for donating

No. Under Australian laws, a person born from sperm, egg, or embryo donation has the right to obtain identifying information about their donor once they are 16 years old. This information may include the donor’s name, date of birth, and contact information. In some states, where the donor consents and the donor-conceived child can prove sufficient maturity, or if their parent(s) apply for them, identifying information may be accessible from a younger age.

It is important to note that any contact between donor-conceived children and donors must be mutually agreed upon.

If you have a partner, your partner must consent your decision to becoming a donor. At Monash IVF, we require donor’s partners to attend counselling sessions with them. This gives your partner the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the future implications of your donation in the short and long term.

In WA, there is a 5 (five) family limit worldwide that can legally be created from your donation, including the number of existing families you already have. These limits are set by state legislation and therefore differ between states. It’s important to note that while there is a legal maximum number of families in each state, as a donor you have the right to set your own lower family limit if you wish.

Clinic-recruited donors have no legal rights or responsibilities for any donor conceived children. Upon request, you are able to know that your donation has achieved a pregnancy or live birth, along with the gender of the child, the year of their birth, and whether they were born with any abnormalities.

We encourage you to seek your own legal advice with relation to your rights and responsibilities as a donor.

Each state has different regulations for withdrawing consent, so it’s important that you speak to the donor team about your options. In WA, you have until the embryo is created to withdraw your consent.

This really depends on the type of health issues you have. You’ll undergo a free fertility test prior to making any donations, which will determine whether you meet the physical criteria to become a donor and you can receive a copy of these results. Any health issues are best to be raised early, and your designated Monash IVF clinician will be able to advise whether it may be an issue for donation.

It is illegal in Australia for someone to be paid for their donation. We can reimburse you for any reasonable, and verifiable expenses accumulated through the donation process. Things like travel, parking and any other costs that may be incurred can be reimbursed.

All of the fertility tests that donors are required to undergo are completed free of charge. You are able to receive the results of these tests, such as the results of your sperm analysis or genetic screening, for free.

Yes. There are two types of donors:

• Clinic-recruited donors - donors recruited by Monash IVF.
• Known donors - donors who know the individual or couple using their sperm, eggs or embryo and go through the process with their recipient/s. The process for known donors is similar to that of clinic-recruited donors, with a few variations in processes.

If you're interested in becoming a known donor, contact our team here.