How to Stay Safe During Private Sperm Donation

Sperm donation is a vulnerable topic for both donors and future parents. In order to create a safe space for a successful donation exchange make yourself familiar with our community guidelines and read this guide before setting up a meeting.

1. Verify Your Identity and Ask Matches to Do the Same

In the Y factor-app, you will find a verification feature that ensures the user is a real person. The identity verification is optional, but we encourage every user to get verified and to also check if the people you match with are verified. You can easily spot verified profiles by the green checkmark and also filter search results to only show verified profiles.

2. Always Use Secure Messaging

Keep conversations within Y factor’s app to protect yourself and your privacy. Look through the profiles of the people you chat with and make yourself familiar with their donation preferences and post-donation commitment wishes to ensure that you are in agreement. Always stay respectful of another user’s preferences when talking to them to make sure they also feel safe. Avoid sharing personal information, such as financial information, too soon.

3. Meet in a Safe, Neutral Location

We recommend that initial meetings should take place in public locations (cafés, co-working spaces, etc.). Avoid meeting up at private homes for first-time interactions. Consider bringing a friend or loved one if that makes you feel safer, but make sure to inform the other party about that so they don’t become taken by surprise.

4. Prioritise Health and Wellbeing

Consult a healthcare professional if you have questions about the donation process or potential health implications.

• STI Tests: Y factor strongly recommends STI testing for donors before a donation happens. If donation is done naturally through intercourse, both parties should get tested. Testing is also advised for insemination, as pathogens can be present in semen. Recommended tests include HIV 1/2, Hepatitis B & C, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and HTLV (human T-cell lymphotropic virus).

• Sperm Quality Analysis: You can ask for a sperm analysis test from your chosen donor. Sperm quality analysis usually looks into 1) Sample volume, 2) Motility, and 3) Concentration to determine overall sperm quality.

5. Agree on Financial Compensation

When creating a profile in the Y factor app, you select whether you prefer a free or paid donation exchange. We strongly encourage all users to answer truthfully to create transparency, and if there is agreement on compensation for the service, it is important to discuss and agree on the level of the compensation relatively early in the donation dialogue to ensure that your matches don’t feel misled. Be open upfront with how much you are willing to compensate/expect to be compensated with and make sure that you comply with local laws for private sperm donation.

6. Set Boundaries and Discuss Donor Commitment

Discuss donor commitment with your match. In the Y factor app, you need to pre-select a post-donation commitment to create transparency in the donation process. Y factor recommends that you formalize your intended commitment in a written agreement. In your profile, you can choose between:

• Donation only - No contact after

• Online relation - Interested in receiving updates and pictures

• Father figure - I want the child to know who I am

• Co-parenting - I want to build a relationship with the child

7. Use Legal Agreements

Make yourself familiar with the legal implications of sperm donation in your location and make sure to act according to your local laws. Y factor strongly recommends that you make a written pre-donation agreement, covering all aspects of the sperm donation for clarity on future contact and rights. Clearly outline expectations and agreements in writing. This can include legal, financial, and medical terms. Seek professional legal advice if needed.

Please be aware that written pre-donation agreements are not legally binding in most locations in the world, with a few exceptions (California (US), and British Columbia (Canada)). Mutual trust is therefore a critical factor when involving yourself in private sperm donation.

8. Use Good Sense

• Verify Information: Take your time to verify the information provided by the other party. Look for consistency in their profile and interactions.

• Stay Alert: Avoid any pressure to rush decisions or commitments. Both parties should feel comfortable and respected. You should never feel pressured to have intercourse.

• Trust Your Instincts: If something feels off during an interaction, it’s okay to pause or stop communication.

• Maintain Respect: Building trust and mutual understanding is key. Respect the other party’s boundaries, preferences, and decisions at all times.

Please read our community guidelines to learn more.

9. Report Concerns

If you encounter suspicious behaviour or feel unsafe at any point, please report it through our app. We take safety seriously and will address your concerns promptly.

Bringing a child into the world always requires trust and a leap of faith. Building trust and mutual understanding is key. Respect the other party’s boundaries, preferences, and decisions at all times.