It’s incredibly exciting if you have made the decision to start or grow your family, but it can be difficult to know where to start. Here are some things you may want to know to start making it happen: Visit your GP One of the first steps you could take is to visit your GP. As well as discussing treatment options, your GP may also ask questions related to your reproductive health, like when your last menstrual period was, how long your menstrual cycles are and if you have any known medical conditions that may have an impact on your fertility. You may be able to access some initial investigations, which could include a blood test during your cycle to check if you are ovulating and an ultrasound scan to assess your ovaries, fallopian tubes and uterus. Treatment availability on the NHS In order to access funded treatment on the NHS, you would need to complete six cycles of self-funded intrauterine insemination (IUI). Females who have not become pregnant after six cycles of IUI undertaken in a clinical setting should be referred for further assessment and possible treatment, if eligible in your area. Eligibility is determined by local ICBs (Integrated Care Boards) so be sure to check with your GP what you might be able to access. This may include treatment with IUI or IVF.   Eligibility In order to be referred for treatment, an assessment must be made by your GP or fertility specialist which specifies certain criteria set out by the ICB. The criteria may include: Age  Body mass index (BMI) Length of time trying to conceive Previous children Lifestyle factors Sterilisation – if you’ve had any procedures to permanently prevent you from having children Private fertility treatment In order to access NHS funding, you may have to turn to private treatment first. When you attend a private fertility clinic, you will have a consultation with a fertility doctor who will discuss what treatment options are available and may request additional investigations. This can include a blood test to measure anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) and an ultrasound scan to assess the follicles in your ovaries. The cost of fertility treatments and donor sperm can vary, so be sure to check why a particular treatment type may be most suitable for you. References: NHS – Intrauterine insemination  NICE guidelines – Intrauterine insemination  

If you’ve made the exciting decision to grow your family, then this is a very exciting time, but it can also come with some uncertainty. Advice and treatment options can be more confusing to navigate if you are LGBTQ+, and finding the right resources to help you is often difficult. Here you’ll find all the basics to help you understand which treatment options are available to you.  Intracervical insemination (ICI) ICI is a fertility treatment that involves placing sperm near the cervix to aid conception. This can be performed using a cervical cap that will keep semen against the cervix for an extended amount of time. The purpose of this is to allow sperm to bypass the vagina (where the pH can have a negative impact on sperm), increasing the number of sperm near the cervix and cervical mucus (which is favourable to sperm), and allowing them to swim through the uterus and up the fallopian tubes to fertilise an egg.    Intrauterine insemination (IUI)  IUI is a treatment that puts sperm directly into the uterus. It can be performed during the menstrual cycle around ovulation or with fertility drugs during a medicated cycle. On the day of the IUI, the semen sample would be produced or thawed and processed in a laboratory. The sample is then inserted into the uterus using a thin catheter which runs through the vagina and cervix into the uterus.    In vitro fertilisation (IVF) IVF is more complex than ICI and IUI but, for some people, it can be the best option. IVF requires that you undergo hormone stimulation to encourage your ovaries to produce multiple eggs. The eggs are then removed in a surgical procedure and fertilised with processed sperm in a laboratory. The embryos (fertilised eggs) are allowed to develop until they are ready to be transferred. An embryo transfer is then performed where an embryo is placed in the uterus using a catheter.   Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) ICSI is a method used to fertilise eggs during IVF. After egg collection, the eggs would first be assessed for maturity, as only mature eggs may be injected. Sperm would be selected under a high microscopic magnification and injected directly into the egg with a small needle. This method could be recommended in cases of male factor infertility.      Donor sperm Donor sperm might be a necessary component for you when undergoing fertility treatment. There are a few different routes you can take to use donor sperm in order to conceive, however, the safest options are always to find a donor through a fertility clinic or to use a known donor in a fertility clinic. Going through a fertility clinic will ensure that the donor has had the proper health and fertility tests prior to donation and minimise any risks to you, your donor and your child.      Donor eggs Much like donor sperm, many people need to use donor eggs in their fertility treatments. You can select your egg donor either through your clinic, from an egg bank or use eggs from a known donor. Your fertility clinic will ensure that the donor has had the proper health and fertility tests prior to donation and minimise any risks to you, your donor and your child.    Surrogacy A surrogate – also known as a gestational carrier – is a female who carries and gives birth to a baby for another person. Some people use a friend or family member as a surrogate, while others find their surrogate through an independent agency. UK fertility clinics aren’t allowed to find one for you. Surrogacy involves a complex legal process, and the surrogate will be the legal mother of the child when it is born. For this reason, it’s recommended you seek independent legal advice when considering this treatment. It’s also important to note that in the UK, it is illegal to pay someone to be a surrogate, however, you will still have to cover their expenses for the duration of any treatment and the pregnancy.    For more information, read our guides for the above treatment options: Intracervical insemination Intrauterine insemination In vitro fertilisation Intracytoplasmic sperm injection Using donor sperm Using donor eggs Having treatment with a surrogate References: NICE guidelines – Intracervical insemination NHS – Intrauterine insemination NHS – IVF HFEA – Using donor eggs, sperm or embryos HFEA – Surrogacy 

A surrogate – or a gestational carrier – is someone who carries and gives birth to a baby for another person. Here we’ll explore how surrogacy works and where to find a surrogate.  How does surrogacy work? Surrogacy involves IVF treatment with eggs and sperm – either your own or donor – and a surrogate in a licensed fertility clinic. Some people choose to use a friend or family member as a surrogate, but if that isn’t an option, you may need to find one through an independent agency, as UK fertility clinics aren’t allowed to find one for you. Commercial surrogacy is not permitted in the UK, which can make finding surrogates more challenging.  How much does it cost to have a surrogate? Although it is illegal to pay for a surrogate in the UK, they can be reimbursed for reasonable expenses such as maternity clothes, travel expenses and loss of earnings due to pregnancy. The total cost can vary and it can be much higher if you explore surrogacy in a country where surrogates are allowed to be paid. According to a report by Surrogacy UK, surrogates typically receive £10,000–£15,000, although this will depend on your circumstances. In addition, you’ll also need to pay your clinic for the fertility treatment and costs for this vary depending on what treatments you will need. Surrogacy is not funded by the NHS.  What legal considerations are there? Surrogacy can come with a lot of complex legal issues, and you should seek independent legal advice when considering this treatment. In the UK, the surrogate is the legal mother of the child at birth – even if the eggs and sperm used are yours or donated (i.e. she’s not genetically related to the child). Legal parenthood can be transferred from the surrogate by parental order after the baby is born in order for you to become the legal parent, after which the surrogate will have no further rights or obligations to the child.  What personal implications might there be? When having treatment with a surrogate it’s important to have a surrogacy agreement in place and plan for how things will work around treatment. This document, however, is not legally binding. You may want to consider how much contact you’ll have with the surrogate during and after treatment, while the surrogate is pregnant and even after the birth of your baby. It can also be helpful to agree on how something unexpected during pregnancy or the birth would be managed.  Additional information There are four main surrogacy organisations in the UK and you can find them on the government’s surrogacy pathway. Some IVF clinics may also be able to help you connect with surrogacy agencies or alternatively, you can use a separate service to help guide you through the process.  References: HFEA – Surrogacy  Surrogacy UK  Government UK - Surrogacy 

When planning your home insemination with a donor, it can be tricky to navigate the logistics around ovulation and getting the semen sample. Here are a few tips to help: Communicate with your donor If you ovulate regularly, be sure to let your donor know approximately when in the month you are likely to ovulate, so that they can be prepared to provide a semen sample. Let them know when you’re starting testing for ovulation and start to plan around abstinence and availability.   Abstinence for the semen sample The donor should refrain from sexual activity (including intercourse and masturbation) for 2–7 days before producing a sample for the Béa Applicator. This is based on recommendations from the WHO guidelines, which show that abstinence for a shorter or longer period than 2–7 days can result in lower semen quality. This will ensure the best possible semen sample on the day of using the Béa Applicator.  Plan for how to collect or receive the sample It’s always best to have an agreement in place with your donor around how they are providing the sample. Will they come to your home and produce a sample (ejaculate)? Will they produce a sample at their home and you collect it? Does your donor have the semen container in which to produce the sample? Discussing this in advance will avoid extra stress around ovulation. Transporting the sample Temperature Semen samples should ideally be kept between room temperature and body temperature which is 20℃–37℃. When transporting the sample, you may want to keep the semen container insulated (by wrapping the container in a small towel) and always keep the container upright to avoid the sample getting stuck in the lid or leaking out.  Time When using the kit, you’re instructed to wait for 30 minutes to let the semen sample liquefy at room temperature – this makes it easier to pour it into the Applicator. If you’re making plans around transportation of the sample, sperm generally has a good survival rate in semen for 2 hours. Try not to exceed 4 hours between the time of ejaculation and using it in the Béa Applicator.  Additional information Do not try to freeze the sperm at home  Do not try to heat up the sperm If lubricant is being used to produce the sample, ensure it’s sperm-friendly

For some people, using donor eggs can be a necessary component in creating their family and there are a few different routes you can take – ranging from egg banks to known donors. Here you’ll find our comprehensive guide for anyone considering using donor eggs.   How are donors approved? Fertility clinics and egg banks have a screening process for egg donor applicants which requires them to undergo medical investigations and a fertility health assessment to ensure they are suitable to donate. They usually will also have to fulfil additional criteria, such as: Be 18–35 years old Have two fully functional ovaries Have an ovarian reserve within a normal range Be a non-smoker Have a healthy BMI (between 19 and 30) Undergo genetic screening for potentially heritable conditions and screening for sexually transmitted diseases  The HFEA requires that all donors also complete a counselling session prior to approval. Once the donor is approved, they are either booked in for an egg freezing cycle or they are put on a waiting list to be matched with a recipient. Where can you find donor eggs? It’s important to ensure you use an egg donor who has had all relevant checks and been approved by a licensed UK fertility clinic. This will ensure that all of the necessary health and quality checks have been performed prior to use. When selecting a donor, you can access details about their age, ethnicity, physical characteristics (like height, weight, eye and hair colour) and medical history. You could: 1. Choose from a donor list within your clinic Some clinics have their own donor banks where you can select your donor. You may have an appointment with a donation coordinator that can help you match your own characteristics to a donor or choose from a list. It’s important to note that some clinics have long waiting lists, so check with your clinic before you proceed.  2. Import donor eggs from an egg bank overseas It’s possible to purchase donor eggs from accredited donor banks abroad. They often have a wide selection of donors with detailed online profiles. Confirm with your clinic that they can receive samples from the donor bank of your choice before you purchase eggs. Donor banks need to be licensed or accredited by a relevant authority and they need to meet similar requirements set out by UK regulators. This is to ensure that there are processes in place to maintain the safety of samples in storage and shipment and minimise any risk to you. 3. Use a known donor A known donor could be a friend or family member. This person would be subject to the same screening and tests as clinic donors (i.e. counselling, health checks and genetic screening). By law, the person donating the eggs will not be the legal parent of any resulting children. Talk to the experts at your clinic if you wish to proceed with a known donor.  Important additional information Patients using donor eggs in treatment must attend counselling and will be informed of the UK’s legislation on the identity of donors and will need to complete the appropriate consents. Since 2005, donors in the UK are no longer anonymous. Children conceived using donated eggs are allowed to ask the HFEA for information about the donor when they reach the age of 18. That will enable them to find out who the donor is and get in touch with them if they choose. The donor will have no financial or legal obligation to any child born from a donation.  Some other resources that may be useful: HFEA – Donor-conceived people and their parents  Donor Conception Network  References: HFEA – Using donated eggs, sperm or embryos in treatment HFEA – Importing and exporting eggs, sperm or embryos

For some people, sperm donation is the only way to have a baby. There are a few different routes you may take when using donor sperm. Here we’ll explore where to find donor sperm and how donors are approved. Where can you find donor sperm? The safest option is to use donor sperm for treatment at a licensed UK fertility clinic. This will ensure that all of the necessary health and quality checks have been performed prior to use. This includes genetic screening, infection screening and semen analysis. When selecting a donor, you can: Choose from a donor list within your clinic Some clinics have their own donor banks where you can select your donor. You may have an appointment with a donation coordinator that can help you match your characteristics to a donor or choose from a list. It’s important to note that some clinics have long waiting lists, so this can be important to check before being matched with a donor. Import donor samples from overseas  It is also possible to purchase donor sperm from accredited donor banks abroad. They often have a wide selection of donors with detailed online donor profiles and characteristics. Your clinic should confirm if they can receive samples from the donor bank of your choice, as they need to ensure that there are processes in place to maintain the safety of samples in storage and shipment and minimise any risk to you. Use a known donor You may have someone in mind that you would like to use as a donor. Talk to the experts at your clinic about what you and your donor might need to do in order to proceed with a known donation.  How are donors approved? Donor sperm banks have a screening process for applicants that includes a semen analysis, medical history, genetic screening and screening for sexually transmitted diseases . The HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) requires that all donors complete a counselling session prior to approval. A known donor would be subject to the same screening process.  Donor sperm for home insemination Home inseminations with frozen donor sperm are not easily accessible in the UK. Donor sperm banks in the UK do not sell samples for home use and do not send samples to home addresses. If purchasing from a donor bank abroad, they may have different legislations that might not allow shipments of frozen sperm to your home address. The HFEA recommends having the sample shipped to a UK licensed fertility clinic where you can have treatment. If you’re using a known donor for treatment at home, you might want to consider speaking with a fertility solicitor and a fertility counsellor to ensure all of the possible medical and legal implications are clear if you do decide to go that route.  Donor connection websites There are websites that connect or match recipients with sperm donors and enable them to communicate on their platform. They may then meet and arrange insemination privately, without attending a clinic. If you are considering using these services, you might want to consider speaking with a fertility solicitor and a fertility counsellor to ensure all of the possible medical and legal implications are clear if you do decide to go that route.  Additional information Patients using donor sperm in treatment must attend counselling and will be informed of the UK’s legislation on the identity of sperm donors and will need to complete the appropriate consents. Since 2005, donors in the UK are no longer anonymous. Children conceived using donated sperm will be allowed to ask the HFEA for information about the donor when they reach the age of 18. That will enable them to find out who the donor is and get in touch with them if they choose. The donor will have no financial or legal obligation to any child born from donation.  Some other resources that may be useful: HFEA – Donor-conceived people and their parents   Donor Conception Network Pride Angel – Online donor platform  References: HFEA – Using donated eggs, sperm or embryos in treatment  HFEA – Importing and exporting sperm, eggs and embryos 

If you’re undergoing or planning to undergo gender transition, you may be prescribed hormone therapy. If you’re also thinking about preserving your fertility in order to have children in the future, you are likely to need to stop taking your hormone medication while undergoing fertility preservation treatments. Here we’ll explore why that may be necessary and provide you with a better understanding of how it could affect your mental health and how you can prepare yourself.  What does hormone therapy do?  Hormone therapy for gender transition causes changes to your physical appearance. During masculinising hormone therapy, you may be given testosterone to suppress your menstrual cycle, but it can also deepen your voice, and encourage muscle growth and the growth of facial hair. During feminising hormone therapy, you may be given oestrogen to suppress testosterone levels, which can reduce facial hair growth and encourage your breasts to grow. Why might you need to stop hormone therapy for fertility treatment? Oestrogen and testosterone therapies can change your physical appearance, but they can also have an impact on your fertility.  Oestrogen suppresses testicular function and can have an impact on libido, erectile function and ejaculation. If you’re looking to preserve your sperm for future family purposes, you may need to consider stopping hormone therapy to regain testicular function and to have viable sperm to freeze. Testosterone suppresses ovarian function and may impair ovulation. If you’re looking to preserve your eggs for future family purposes, you will most likely need to consider stopping hormone therapy for your ovaries to respond to the hormone stimulation needed for this treatment.  What happens if you stop taking hormone medication? For some people, fertility can be restored when they stop their hormone therapy, although it’s not a guarantee. If you need to pause your hormones for fertility treatment, it might lead to a reversal of the physical changes you’ve experienced with gender transition.   For trans men this could mean: the return of your periods body fat redistribution decrease in muscle mass For trans women this could mean: the return of testicular function increased spontaneous erections body fat redistribution  Along with physical changes, you may experience hormonal changes such as mood swings. These changes may trigger gender dysphoria. This can be particularly upsetting as gender dysphoria is often something many people may have struggled with a lot before having access to hormone therapy. In order to get the best support possible when proceeding with fertility treatment, it’s important to be open with your care team – your GP, gender identity clinic, fertility specialists and counsellors.  As it can be distressing to stop taking hormones because of the impact they can have on your mental health and daily life, you may choose not to proceed with fertility preservation. Instead, you could explore other options to grow your family, such as surrogacy or adoption.  Additional information Having children may not be on your mind right now, but it could be helpful to discuss the topic with other trans people who have been in your position. The Gender Identity Development Service can discuss fertility with you, and your family members should you wish.  Learn more: Mermaids – Resources for young people  Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS)  Gender Identity Clinic Gendered Intelligence  References: HFEA – Information for trans and non-binary people seeking fertility treatment  NHS - Gender dysphoria 

If you are transgender and undergoing gender transition or about to, it can add another level of complexity when it comes to fertility treatments. How you should approach these depends on any hormonal or surgical changes you have had in the past or are planning on undergoing. Some hormone therapies or surgeries may have an impact on your future fertility and it’s important to know what options are available to you, whether you’re thinking of having children soon or want to improve your chances later down the line. First, we’re going to discuss fertility preservation for anyone who wants to preserve their fertility before undergoing gender reassignment procedures. Fertility preservation refers to egg, sperm, embryo or reproductive tissue freezing for use in future fertility treatment. They can be stored for up to 55 years, but you have to renew your consent every 10 years. In order to proceed with fertility preservation, you are likely to have to stop any hormone therapy you’re currently undergoing. Hence, it’s important to discuss your options with a fertility specialist early on.  Freezing eggs for trans men Egg freezing involves taking fertility drugs to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs. The eggs are then collected in a surgical procedure while you’re under sedation. The eggs are checked for maturity, frozen and stored in cryo tanks.   Freezing ovarian tissue for trans men If you’re ready for genital reconstructive surgery, it may be possible for your surgeon to collect ovarian tissue during the surgery, which can be frozen and stored for future fertility treatments. When you’re ready to use it, the tissue would be re-implanted in order to restore ovarian hormone function and egg production. It’s worth noting that this procedure is usually only offered to patients under the age of 35. Freezing sperm for trans women Sperm freezing involves masturbating or undergoing vibratory stimulation to produce a sperm sample. The sample is then frozen, often in multiple small storage devices and stored in cryo tanks. It may require multiple deposits to obtain a sufficient amount of sperm for storage. Freezing surgically-retrieved sperm for trans women If you’re ready for genital reconstructive surgery, it may be possible for your surgeon to collect sperm or testicular tissue through the surgery which can be frozen and stored in cryo tanks. Now, we can explore the future fertility treatment that may be used when you’re ready to have children.  If you have frozen eggs or sperm stored at a fertility clinic, you can use them in a fertility treatment to have children. This will likely be through IVF.  For trans men, the treatment pathways will differ depending on whether you wish to carry a pregnancy or whether you decide to have a partner or surrogate carry the pregnancy. Your frozen eggs can be thawed in the laboratory and used with sperm from a partner or donor. For trans women, the treatment pathway will differ depending on whether your partner or a surrogate will carry the pregnancy. Your frozen sperm can be thawed in the laboratory and used with eggs from a partner or donor.  Additional information Having children may not be on your mind right now, but it could be helpful to discuss the topic with other trans people who have been in your position. The Gender Identity Development Service can discuss fertility with you, and your family members should you wish.  Learn more: Mermaids – Resources for young people Gender Identity Clinic  Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS)  Gendered Intelligence  References: HFEA – Information for trans and non-binary people seeking treatment  HFEA – Fertility preservation  HFEA – Egg freezing  HFEA – Sperm freezing 

If you’re thinking about starting a family using donor sperm, it’s important to consider any legal implications that may arise. The law isn’t always easy to understand, so here’s our guide to help you with this complex issue.  Using donor sperm in a licensed fertility clinic If you use a donor through a HFEA-licensed UK fertility clinic, there are very few risks and all parties are protected. The donor will have no legal rights or responsibilities to any children born with their sperm. When starting any treatment in a fertility clinic, you will complete consents related to your treatment and also to legal parenthood. If you are the person who gives birth to the child, you will be the legal parent. However, if your partner is having treatment using donor sperm and you’re not married or in a civil partnership, it is essential that you and your partner fill out the HFEA legal parenthood consent forms to enable you both to become the legal parents at birth.  Using donor sperm through a private arrangement If you are the person giving birth to the child, you will be the legal parent. However, if you’re using donor sperm through a private arrangement that doesn’t take place in a licensed UK fertility clinic, the law on who becomes the child’s other legal parent is not so straightforward. In some cases, it’s possible that your sperm donor could become the child’s legal father. If you are a married couple or civil partners at the time you conceive, then you will normally both be treated as your child’s legal parents and can both be named on the birth certificate as parents. This will legally exclude your sperm donor’s status as the father.   If you are unmarried or in a non-civil partnered relationship and you conceive through home insemination using donor sperm, then your known sperm donor will be your child’s legal father. If you want to change the status or parental responsibility to your partner, you will need to go through a court process to acquire legal parenthood. Co-parenting options For some, entering into a known donation arrangement includes a degree of involvement with their donor after their child is born. This could be in a limited capacity – such as the donor acting as an uncle figure – but in some cases, you may want a more equal parenting role with your donor (co-parenting). Currently, UK law only allows a child to have two legal parents, who have full legal responsibility and are registered on their birth certificate. However, there are steps that can be taken to obtain recognition for the other parent – including parental responsibility and guardianship rights in the event of death. This is also important for relationships with more than two parents. Donor agreement A donor agreement may help manage the legal issues associated with sperm donation. While a donor agreement is not legally binding, the process of putting an agreement in place can be helpful in managing everyone’s expectations and may be of evidential benefit to a court dealing with any future disputes. The agreement should include things like:  Who will be treated as your child’s legal parents? What should be recorded on your child’s birth certificate? Who will have parental and financial responsibility for your child? Will the donor be paid? Will the donor provide screening results for potentially transmissible viruses or genetic screening and a semen analysis? How can you best manage your relationship over time so as to avoid difficulties arising? It’s also important to note that while our team has done plenty of research into this issue, we are still, at heart, a medical company and so we would urge you to seek independent advice from legal professionals. Important additional information The UK law regarding identifying information relating to the sperm donor changed in April 2005. Children born as a result of the use of donor sperm may approach the HFEA at the age of 18 for identifying information which relates to the donor and make contact with them if they wish.  Seeking legal support is important when using donor sperm – but so is counselling. Licensed BICA counsellors can support you with any legal and ethical implications around your potential treatment pathway and can assist you when you move forward with your plans.  References: HFEA – Becoming the legal parents of your child HFEA – Sperm donation and the law: for patients  Pride Angel - Online platform

A better path to parenthood for families using donor semen. The Béa Applicator does not require intercourse to be used, and is a great option for you if you are building your family using donor semen. Before using donor semen with the Béa Applicator, there are some simple steps you can take to make sure you and your family are safe. Finding a sperm donor In the UK, it unfortunately isn't possible to get frozen sperm from donor banks delivered to a home address. When using a sperm donor, there are two main options: Fertility Clinics If you use a sperm donor through a HFEA-licensed UK fertility clinic there are very few risks and all parties are protected. The sperm donor will have no legal rights or responsibilities to any children born with their sperm, and they are limited to donate to up to 10 families. It is possible to have sperm from a donor bank sent to the fertility clinic of your choice. Known Sperm Donors You may have someone in mind to donate sperm for your treatment, this individual is a Known Donor. Sperm from known donors can be used for treatment in a fertility clinic of your choice, but also for home insemination through a private arrangement. There some simple steps you need to take to ensure you are safe if you choose to proceed with a private arrangement. Conceiving with a known sperm donor? Here are the basics You should get legal support in order to draw up a donor agreement before you go forward with any type of treatment. It's important to note that there is no limit on the number of families that donor can create with their donated sperm through private arrangements. Some unregulated donors have reported conceiving several hundred children, and whilst this is rare, it is important to think about the possible implications this could have for your child. and you may want to consider what implications that could have for you and your future child.   The Béa Sperm Donor Checklist 1. Find a donor You might have someone in mind to use as a known donor. Alternatively you can order donor sperm from a sperm bank or use a donor introduction website. Most donor sperm banks don’t ship to home addresses and will only have sperm samples sent to licensed UK fertility clinics. Some clinics will release samples for home insemination, however it’s not standard practice. You can check if a fertility clinic will release samples to you and explore online banks like Xytex, Cryos or European Sperm Bank or find a donor through a connection platform like Pride Angel. 2. Get legal support It’s important to seek independent legal advice before drawing up a donor agreement. This will be a good opportunity to discuss legal parenthood, who’s recorded on the birth certificate, who will have financial responsibility for your child and, if there is a problem, how the family court will deal with it. If you are a married couple or civil partners at the time you conceive, then you will normally both be treated as your child’s legal parents and can both be named on the birth certificate as parents. However, if you are single, unmarried or in a non-civil partnered relationship and you conceive through home insemination using donor sperm, then your sperm donor will be considered the child’s legal father. The donor will have to relinquish their rights in order for a partner or other parent to become a legal parent through adoption. Your partner will need to go through a court process to secure legal parenthood status. 3. Create a donor agreement A donor agreement may help manage the legal issues associated with sperm donation. While a donor agreement is not legally binding, the process of putting an agreement in place can be helpful in managing everyone’s expectations and may be of evidential benefit to a court dealing with any future disputes. Be sure to discuss with your donor if they have any children of their own, if they have any children conceived through private arrangements and if they plan on donating again. The Donor Conception Network is a UK based charity offering information, support and community to donor conception families and has helpful resources for those conceiving with donor sperm. 4. Will there be compensation for the donation? You and your donor may want to discuss if they want compensation for the donation and how much that might be. Donors at UK regulated clinics can receive £35 in compensation per clinic visit, as set out by the HFEA. 5. Have a semen analysis performed You should consider having the sperm tested to confirm that the sample will be a suitable quality for insemination. The semen analysis results should have normal parameters to be considered suitable for use. You could have this performed at any private fertility clinic, alternatively an at-home sperm test kit. Check out Exseed Health and their kit. If you are uncertain of the status of your sperm donor, or your sperm donor is unwilling to undergo a semen analysis, contact the Béa Care Team.  6. Get screened for infectious diseases To ensure your safety and the safety of your future child, it’s important that your donor is screened for infectious diseases (such as sexually transmitted infections, STIs). STIs are extremely common but most are easily treatable. All donors should be screened for sexually transmitted infections with a blood test for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis and a urine test for chlamydia. You should have a check up yourself too, as STIs can affect your chances of getting pregnant or can be passed on to your baby. Visit your GP if you have any symptoms or are worried you may have an STI, alternatively you can explore the self-sampling kits from Sexual Health London.  7. Get tested for genetic conditions A chromosome analysis (karyotype) and a test for cystic fibrosis is recommended for all donors. The karyotype is a basic genetic test which checks that the chromosomes in your cells are structurally normal. Other tests that might be considered are genetic tests which determine whether or not they are a carrier of the genetic disease(s) most common in people who share their ethnic background (this could include sickle-cell disease and thalassemia). It’s unlikely you’ll be able to access these tests on the NHS, however you can check with your GP. Alternatively, these can be performed at a cost at a private fertility clinic. 8. Consider counselling It’s natural to focus on getting pregnant, but counselling can help you work through the long term considerations, like the emotional aspect of treatment or how to tell your child about their donor. Licensed BICA counsellors can support you with emotional and legal implications around your treatment and can assist you when you move forward with your plans.   Using the Béa Treatment with a donor? Read Navigating your treatment with donor sperm for tips on how to plan your cycle!