Where should I get my sperm donor?
There are several ways a single woman can proactively conceive.
1. A known donor agrees in advance to provide sperm for home insemination and knows the mother. This offers the least legal protection for both parties, but gives the child the opportunity to know the man, if agreed upon in advance.
2. A directed donor agrees in advance to provide sperm for a clinic insemination and knows the mother. This offers the most legal protection for both parties, as well as options for the child to ask questions later in life. Anyone using a known donor should consider having them donate in a clinic setting, for greater protection physically, legally and emotionally.
3. A co-parenting donor agrees in advance to share in financial and logistical responsibilities of raising the child. This is considered to have the best benefits for the child, particularly if the adults have mutually worked out an agreement of expectations.
4. An open-identity donor donates in a sperm bank setting and agrees to be contacted after offspring reach a certain age. This relieves legal and parenting confusions and complications of a known donor, but leaves the child with unanswered questions until coming of age -- and sperm banks do not all guarantee to be able to find that donor when the time comes.
5. An anonymous donor donates in a sperm bank setting and does not agree to have any contact with offspring or recipient. This is the safest choice legally, but can lead to frustration with the child if they someday want to know more about their genetic background.
Click on any of the highlighted terms to understand more about those options so you can make an educated decision about your choice. Much more to come on these options in the future.
