FAQs

At Seattle Sperm Bank, open identity donors have committed to at least one contact with the child, when the child reaches the age of 18. The contact must be initiated by the child; customer identities are confidential and are never released to sperm donors. There is no requirement that the donor commit to any sort of long-lasting relationship with the child, although the donor and the child may arrange to have further communication. All donors are required to go through a maturity evaluation by the sperm bank’s managing director and donor coordinator to ensure they understand the consequences of their decision to become an open identity donor.

Although prospective parents don’t get to meet a sperm donor before choosing to use his donated sperm, there is a lot to learn about donors through profile information. Often donors will list their reasons for donating along with detailed information about themselves. At Seattle Sperm Bank, we have found that open identity donors are usually willing to provide more detailed information such as baby photos and extended profile information to the sperm bank.

We have four different unit types here at Seattle Sperm Bank:

• IUI (intra-uterine insemination) or “washed”
• ICI (intra-cervical insemination) or “unwashed”
• IUI ART (intra-uterine insemination assisted reproductive technologies)
• ICI ART (intra-cervical insemination assisted reproductive technologies)

IUI are usually used for an insemination directly into the uterus with a physician.
ICI are typically used at home or if the doctor’s office wants to wash the sample first.
ART units are often used for IVF as they have fewer sperm cells than the regular units.

Your doctor can advise you as to which type you will need for your given procedure.

Please refer to this link for more information. https://www.seattlespermbank.com/demystifying-iui-ici-ivi-and-ivf/

Our $50 All Access Pass includes full access to all donors’ profile materials.  This includes the donor’s Extended Profile, Childhood Photo, Audio Interview, Keirsey Personality Test, Staff Impression, and Genetic Test Results.

Please use the following link to see an example of what is available for each donor: https://www.seattlespermbank.com/all-access-pass/

Seattle Sperm Bank offers a way to easily search our donor database by genetic test. This tool lets you see all the donors who have tested negative for any singular, or combination of, different genetic diseases.

Example of how it works:

If you are a known carrier for Pendred Syndrome, for example, you can select that condition from the list using the “Find Match” button at the top of the donor search tool. The resulting matches would then only show donors who were tested and found to be negative for Pendred Syndrome. Plus, this tool can be used with our other donor search criteria to help you find the best matches for you.

If your selected donor(s) has no available inventory of the unit type (IUI, ICI, ART) that you are looking for, please call us at 206-588-1484 or email cs@seattlespermbank.com to inquire about inventory status.

We can also put you on the waitlist for your donor by reserving a maximum of five units that are in quarantine. You can only be on the waitlist for one donor at a time. You cannot reserve units that are available for purchase. When the units are released from quarantine, you will be notified via email and be able to purchase them before the units are made available to the general public. Please call or email to be placed on the waitlist.

We strongly encourage our clients to purchase additional units of their favorite donor and place them into storage. We cannot guarantee that your donor will be available in the future when you are ready to inseminate.

For more information, please review our Family Planning page: https://www.seattlespermbank.com/familyplanning/

Yes, we have a 25 family limit nationwide for our donors. This is monitored by our Pregnancy and Birth Reporting, which is a requirement for all purchasers.

Pregnancy and Birth reports can be submitted to us at this link:

Seattle Sperm Bank has rigorous requirements for becoming a sperm donor.  We screen applicants based on a large number of factors, including health, genetics, education, family history, looks, personality, and overall sperm quality.

Seattle Sperm Bank tests and screens donors more than any other sperm bank. We pioneered the Genetic Carrier Screening, and have continuously expanded our screening panels on various levels.

For a detailed breakdown of our screening process, please refer to this link: https://www.seattlespermbank.com/donor-testing-and-screening/

We encourage you to speak with your doctor regarding the option of extended genetic testing, and risks associated with selecting a donor who is a known carrier for a genetic condition.

We offer genetic testing services directly via Myriad Genetics.

For more information, please visit this link: https://www.seattlespermbank.com/counsyl-carrier-screening/

Cytomegalovirus, commonly known as CMV, is a common virus that most American adults have been exposed to and have developed immunity to. In healthy adults and children, CMV can cause mild cold or flu-like symptoms that may last 1-2 weeks. However, if a woman who has never had CMV becomes exposed during pregancy, there is a small risk the child may develop neurologic abnormalities.

For more information about CMV please refer to this link:

What Is CMV And How Can It Affect My Pregnancy?

For a full break down of costs associated with purchasing, storing, and shipping units, please see the Fees section of our website:

https://www.seattlespermbank.com/services/fees/

There are a few different mandatory forms you may need to complete prior to shipment depending on your selected donor and your shipping destination.  For detailed information about our forms, please refer to this link: https://www.seattlespermbank.com/about-us/forms/

Purchaser Semen & Storage Agreement

• All customers must have a Purchaser Semen and Storage Agreement on file with Seattle Sperm Bank.  Only submit this form one time. It will be saved for future orders and shipments.
  PURCHASER SEMEN & STORAGE AGREEMENT

Clinic Release

• If vials are shipped to your home or picked up at our office please have a physician or other licensed healthcare provider sign our Clinical Release Form.
• If you are a having your order shipped within NY State, this release form is required for all orders and can only be completed by your physician.
• This form can be printed, signed and faxed to: (206) 466-4696 or scanned and emailed to forms@seattlespermbank.com.
  CLINIC RELEASE PDF

Informed Consent

If your donor is a carrier for a known genetic condition, you will be required to sign an Informed Consent Form.  This form is located on the donor’s profile page where required.

It is important that your vials arrive on time.  Help us ensure that happens by taking the following steps:

• Submit required forms/paperwork promptly, do not wait until the last minute.  If we do not receive required paperwork then your shipment will be delayed.
• Select a delivery date two to three days before your insemination.  We work closely with our shipment vendors to ensure timely delivery, but events beyond our control do occur that can delay delivery of packages by one or two business days.  Because of this, it is prudent to schedule the delivery two to three days before they are needed.
• If you are working with a clinic, ask then when/where you should have the vials delivered.  Some clinics require delivery specific facilities on certain days.
• Let us know immediately if you plans change and you need us to hold your vials for future date.

Seattle Sperm Bank can store your donor vials onsite at our lab in Seattle.  Purchasing vials before hand and storing them at our lab is a good method of ensuring that the donor you want is available when you are ready for insemination.

All newly purchased vials receive one month of free storage.  We offer a number of storage terms at reasonable prices.

Please view our pricing at this link: https://www.seattlespermbank.com/services/prices/

If a vial has left our facility it can be returned to your storage account as long as it has not thawed out.

Any vials returned to us are not eligible for our buy back program.

SSB offers a Buy Back program for any unused vials that are still in storage at our facility and have never been shipped. Units that have not left our facility may be eligible to be sold back to us for 50% of the original cost, for up to 2 years from the purchase date.

For our complete Buy Back program, please visit: https://www.seattlespermbank.com/why-use-us/buy-back-program/

If you wish to ship vials you have in storage, you can create a shipment order via our website or by contacting our customer service team.

Website – My Account Screen

Navigate to the My Account screen by clicking on the My Account or Log In button in the upper right corner of seattlespermbank.com website.

On the My Account screen, click on the Storage button or navigate down the screen to the Vial Storage

Under Vial Storage, each of your Donors* will be displayed. Your Donor Inventory and Downloads will be listed.  If you have current Donor Inventory in Storage, you will see a Ship Vials
* When submitting a new order, changes to your inventory will not be immediately reflected in your My Account page.

To ship vials from your storage, select the Quantity of Vials you wish to ship from the dropdown and click on the Ship.

Customer Service

Our customer service team is happy to assist you with placing a shipment order for vials you have in storage. Please contact them between business hours to create your shipment order.

If you need to extend your term of storage, you can do so through our website or by contacting our customer service team.

Website – My Account Screen

1. Navigate to the My Account screen by clicking on the My Account or Log In button in the upper right corner of seattlespermbank.com website.
2. On the My Account screen, click on the Storage button or navigate down the screen to the Vial Storage
3. Under Vial Storage, your current Storage End Date will be displayed. This is the date your current storage will expire.
4. To extend storage, select the storage product you would like to purchase from the Add Storage drop down box. Upon selecting a storage product, your new storage Expiration Date will be calculated.
5. Click on the Add button to purchase the storage product and proceed to the Delivery & Payment
6. Enter your Customer Information.
7. The Review Items section near the bottom of the screen will list your selected Vial Storage product and list the total cost.
8. Enter your Payment Method and click on Complete Purchase.

Customer Service

Our customer service team is happy to assist you with extending your storage. Please contact them between business hours to add an additional term of storage to your account.

We accept all major credit cards, including VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.

For those interesting in financing, Seattle Sperm Bank works with a variety of Financing Companies to offer patients fast and easy financing options. For more information go to: https://www.seattlespermbank.com/patient-financing/

No you do not.  If you have authorization from your physician, you can do a home insemination.  Please review our instructions for home insemination at https://www.seattlespermbank.com/learning-hub/videos/.

If you are interested in working with a clinic and you have not already selected one, you can view our a Find a Fertility Clinic page for information on clinics we work frequently with at this link: https://www.seattlespermbank.com/find-a-clinic/

Navigate to the My Account screen by clicking on the My Account or Log In button in the upper right corner of seattlespermbank.com website.

On the My Account screen, click on the Pregnancy & Birth Reporting

The Pregnancy and Birth Reporting form will appear.

Fill out the form and click on Send.

We ask that any clients who utilized a SSB donor to conceive contact our genetics team to report any medical diagnoses in their pregnancy and/or child. 

Please email information about the medical diagnoses to genetics@seattlespermbank.com.

Navigate to the My Account screen by clicking on the My Account or Log In button in the upper right corner of seattlespermbank.com website.

On the My Account screen, click on the Recent Orders button or navigate down the screen to the Recent Orders

The Recent Orders section will display your most recent orders. You can use the View and Print button to view and print an order receipt.

Make sure you are logged onto the website with your account. You can login from the my-account screen.

Search for a donor from the Find a Donor screen. Click on a donor to open their profile.

To add a donor as a favorite, click on the heart icon to the left of the Donor Title, or click on the Add to Favorites button in the lower right corner.

Make sure you are logged onto the website with your account. You can login from the my-account screen.

Go to the My Account Screen to view your favorite list.

Navigate to the My Account screen by clicking on the My Account or Log In button in the upper right corner of seattlespermbank.com website.

On the My Account screen, click on the Forms button or navigate down the screen to the Forms

Under Forms, a list of required documentation will be listed. Please fill out and submit any forms that are listed as Needed or that are requested by our customer service staff.  Forms typically only need to be signed once.

Please submit these forms to Seattle Sperm Bank either via DocuSign (when available) or by email or fax.

To request a Second Parent Adoption letter please ensure that you have completed a birth report through our online reporting form here https://www.seattlespermbank.com/pregnancy-reporting/ and then email the following to cs@SeattleSpermBank.com:

• Subject line: Second Parent Adoption Letter
• Full names of both parents
• Name of carrying parent
• Child’s date of Birth
• Donor used
• Your full street address

If you no longer need your Stored Vials, Seattle Sperm Bank offers a buy-back program for vials purchased within 24 months that have not left our facility. For more information, see our Buy Back Program page.

We no longer offer a vial transfer / transfer of vial ownership service.

If you have additional questions, please email cs@seattlespermbank.com.

The cost for a family slot is $700, which includes one year of complimentary storage. Family slots do not expire providing you access to available vials throughout your treatment.

Additionally, if you choose to relinquish your family slot without a reported birth for any reason, SSB will refund your family slot fee.*

*If you have embryos created, and/or stored, from a famliy slot donor, you are not eligible for the family slot refund.

Family slots should be purchased as soon as possible to secure the use of your selected donor. Securing a family slot is the only way to ensure you have access to current or future vial inventory. The donor profile will indicate how many family slots are available.

If your donor has IUI vials available, you must purchase at least one vial (either IUI, ICI, ART, or ICSI).

If there are no IUI vials available, you may purchase a family slot and be added to the waitlist for a future vial release. Or purchase a family slot with any other vial type that is available.

Yes, however, you must purchase a family slot to be added to the waitlist and have access to future vial releases. If vials become available through the waitlist, you must purchase at least one vial type to maintain your family slot.

If you choose to relinquish your family slot and do not have a birth to report, SSB will refund your family slot fee.

If a donor is part of our family slot program, clients wishing to use the donor’s vials are required to purchase an available slot.

Family slots do not expire. Upon reporting a live birth, the slot is retired indefinitely. Refunds are available if treatment stops for any reason without a reported birth.

While family slots are non-transferable, you can sell back a slot and purchase a new one from a different donor. Additionally, we offer a buy-back program for any unused vials.

SSB initiated the family slot program in May 2024 in support and alignment with the country’s first legislation on third party reproduction family limits. We plan to expand this initiative to include more donors as the program grows.

Yes, however, if the donor has available IUI vials, you must also purchase at least one vial (of any available vial type) with the family slot.

If there are no IUI vials available you may purchase a family slot without a vial purchase and be added to the donor’s waitlist. If donor vials become available through the waitlist before medical results have concluded, you must purchase at least 1 vial to maintain family slot.

Should your medical team find the donor unsuitable for treatment, your family slot is fully refundable.

Please see our medical swap policy for more information regarding medically incompatible vials.

No, owning a family slot does not guarantee there will be future vials released for your donor. Vial inventory is subject manditory FDA testing being completed by the donor and results conducive to a release of vials.

We strongly encourage you to purchase enough vials for your family goals when securing a family slot. On average, families purchase 3+ vials per pregnancy.

Yes! Every user can own up to 1 family slot for as many donors as they would like. However, users are not allowed to own more than 1 family slot per donor.

No, each SSB account holder can maintain only one family slot at a time per donor currently.

Please see Exclusive / Limited Use Donors for smaller family limits.

Your family slot is secured indefinitely upon reporting a live birth. Your ownership of the slot allows you to purchase future sibling vials if they are available.

You will also have acess to other SSB services after reporting a birth such as SSB Connects, Sibling storage discounts, and your child’s future contact with their donor via our Open ID policy.

Contact us at familyslots@seattlespermbank.com or call 206.588.1484 for further inquiries.

All healthy men between the age of 21 and 40.5 years old can become sperm donors at Seattle Sperm Bank if they fulfill a number of physical and psychological parameters. Click on the heading to read more about the steps to becoming a donor at Seattle Sperm Bank.

View the video below, explaining the benefits and the process of becoming a sperm donor at Seattle Sperm Bank.

You must be between 18 to 40.5 years old and in general good health. You must be able to donate 1 to 3 times per week at our lab in Seattle, WA. You must have a college degree or currently being enrolled in a college program.

At the screening you will provide an initial sample for analysis and fill out a brief questionnaire. Please bring photo identification at this time. Though it is not required, you are also encouraged to bring a copy of your resume or CV. This additional information helps us match you to a family seeking a donor with a particular educational or professional background.

Once you pass your physical exam you can begin giving sperm donations. While each donation must be approved by our doctors in order for you to be paid, our approval rate is more than 90%. Donors receive $100 for each approved donation.

It depends on the quality of your sample, but on average, donors offer between 6 and 10 samples per month. We request that you commit to at least one donation per week.

You should abstain for a minimum of 48 hours prior to donating in order to give a sample with an optimal sperm count. This is both for the quality of the sample as well as for your benefit because you will not get the remaining $30 if your sample is not approved.

It usually takes one to three weeks. The process includes the initial sample screening, your physical examination, your family health history questioning, and your blood and urine testing.

This information helps us match your donation to waiting families in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the European Union. We currently have waiting lists for those seeking certain ethnicities, in particular those from Japan, Russia, the Ukraine, and the Czech Republic. But we encourage healthy men between 18 and 40.5 from all ethnicities to consider donating.

Yes, we work with clinics and clients around the world who are not subject to FDA regulation. Due to FDA regulation, we are unable to distribute sperm in the US donated by men that have had male-to-male sexual contact within the past five years.

A directed donor is someone who stores sperm samples for a predetermined recipient that is not a spouse or life partner. There is also the option to store your own sperm for future use by your sexually intimate partner; this is called the Client Depositor route.