Being a sperm donor means more than just having a penis and being able to produce the sperm at will. Every sperm bank will have a different process of evaluating the various sperm donors, but the overall process remains the same. Each man will need to apply to become a sperm donor, will need to attend an appointment, must provide test samples, and will have to go through a fairly rigorous process of screening. Only once they have completed this process will be they approved as sperm donors.

Background and ethnicity is not a factor when it comes to applying to become a sperm donor, as men from every walk of life and corner of the earth are accepted as donors. However, there are certain requirements that will need to be met in order to quality as a sperm donor:

Men need to be older than 18 years old but younger than 40.

The men must be able to commit to the program for no less than 6 to 12 months.

The family history of the man must be provided, at least as far back as 2 or 3 generations.

They must be free of any serious or chronic health conditions.

These are the main requirements of every sperm bank for potential donors, but many sperm banks will impose additional regulations according to their policies. Some banks may require a college level education or degree, while others may only require that the donor be enrolled in a program to obtain their college degree. There are occasionally height, weight, and other requirements, such as the Sperm Bank of California's requirement for their donors to be no shorter than 5' 7".

Once you meet the requirements to become one of the sperm donors for the sperm bank, you will need to provide the semen sample. It is recommended that sperm donors avoid ejaculation up to 48 hours before the sperm donation process, as that will help to keep their sperm count high. Those with a high sperm count will usually go on to the next step of the process, which is testing to ensure that they have no STD's or genetically transmitted diseases. They are also interviewed and a medical exam is applied to ensure that they are in good physical health.

The screening process often takes around 3 months to finalize, as it is a thorough and rigorous one. The best sperm banks in the country only accept around 5% of their applicants, while others accept even fewer men. You would do well to research into the various sperm banks in your area, as you can increase your chance of being accepted by looking into the requirements of each sperm bank.

Once men are accepted as sperm donors, they need to sign a contract that commits them to the sperm donor program. If you are accepted, you may need to have regular medical screenings provided by the sperm bank as a means of ensuring that your sperm is healthy. The amount of money you receive for each donation is dependent entirely on the sperm bank, as each will pay a different amount.

You may be asked to fill out a profile, as some women want to look through the profiles to find a man that they feel would provide their baby with good genes. You may need to provide a recording of your voice, pictures of your childhood, and perhaps picture of you as an adult. You can choose to be an anonymous donor if you don't want your information made public, or you can choose to have your identity revealed to the children resulting from your sperm donation.

As you can see, becoming a sperm donor is a complex process that takes a good deal of time, but it may be worth it. Many sperm banks will pay well for donations of sperm, and you may find that donating sperm can be a great way to pick up a few extra bucks doing something you are undoubtedly very good at.

About The Author: Robert O. Dewald has written this article.