Every year many children in the UK are conceived with the help of a donor. Without a donor, many parents wouldn't have been able to fulfil their wish to have a family. Find out more about how to donate your eggs, sperm or embryos or get information if you’re an existing donor.
Women up to the age of 36 are able to donate or share their eggs. Donating is an amazing gift and a serious commitment. In order to collect your eggs you’ll need to go through part of the IVF process which is invasive and time-consuming.
Donating your sperm is relatively quick and easy. Men up to the age of 46 are normally able to donate and it’s important you do so at a licensed UK clinic. If you don't you could be recognised as the baby’s legal father – with all the responsibilities that brings.
If you have embryos you decide not to use in the future you could consider donating them to someone else's treatment rather than discarding them. You'll need to go through the same health checks as egg and sperm donors.
Research using eggs, embryos and sperm has led to incredible advances in fertility knowledge and treatment. Your donation could continue this pioneering work and contribute to the next generation of fertility treatments.
As a donor in the UK it's illegal for someone to pay you anything more than reasonable expenses. Find out more about expenses on the egg and sperm donation pages.
It’s not possible to donate your sperm, eggs or embryos anonymously. This means that when a child conceived with your donation reaches 18 they’ll be able to ask for your name and address.
Not everyone will be eligible to donate. Every donor needs to go through strict health tests to ensure that no illnesses are passed onto the baby and there are age limits on donating.
It’s not possible to donate your sperm, eggs or embryos anonymously in the UK via an HFEA licenced clinic. When a child conceived from your donation reaches 18, they’ll be able to ask us for your name and address. You should know that it’s also possible that they could also find out your identity before they reach 18 using home DNA testing and matching services that are available online.
You can either donate to someone else’s treatment or you can donate to fertility research. Both are extraordinary gifts: in one case you’re giving parents the chance to have the family they’re always longed for; in the other you’re contributing to research into curing infertility and preventing the spread of life-threatening genetic diseases.
Anyone who donated before 1 April 2005 is automatically anonymous unless they choose to remove their anonymity. If you donated after 1 April 2005, any children conceived from your donation can ask us for your name and last known address, potentially allowing them to contact you.
Rules around releasing donor informationIf you donated after 1 August 1991, you can request information about the number, sex and year of birth of any children conceived from your donation. We don’t hold information about donations before 1 August 1991 but the Donor Conceived Register may be able to help.
Apply for informationIf you donated before 1 April 2005 you can choose to remove your donor anonymity, potentially allowing children conceived from your donation to contact you. You’ll need to complete an application form and provide some forms of ID.
Remove your donor anonymityFor me, donating my sperm was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I now have two children of my own and knowing that I've helped someone else to have their family is an incredible feeling.
Professionals from organisations across the sector have developed five new leaflets which provide information and signposting for egg and sperm donors about the possibility of contact from any donor-conceived people born from their donations.
Publication date: 1 February 2024
Review date: 1 February 2026
