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08 November 2000

Dear Colleague,

Re: Recruitment of Sperm Donors and Calculating the maximum number of children that may be born per donor

Following the publication of the BAS' 1999 guidelines on the screening of sperm donors, the HFEA's Code of Practice Committee has been examining the changes necessary and the impact they may have on the supply of donated sperm.

The next edition of the HFEA's Code of Practice will contain changes that relate to the recruitment of sperm donors by centres. This advanced warning should enable centres to make the necessary changes before the next edition of the Code of Practice is published.

The major changes are as follows:

• The upper age limit of sperm donors has been reduced from 55 to 45 years

This policy has been introduced following the publication of evidence suggesting that older fathers are more likely to pass on genetic defects to their offspring. According to the HFEA's register, only a minority of sperm donors recruited by centres is aged over 45 so this change in policy should not have a major impact on the supply of donor sperm available.

Centres are asked to stop routinely using sperm from donors over the age of 45 with immediate effect. All stocks of sperm from those donors aged over 45 at the time of donation should be allowed to perish unless there are exceptional reasons for keeping them, for example sibling stocks reserved for future use. Any woman wishing to use stocks from a donor aged over 45 should be given additional information about the possible risks and offered treatment using a different donor, if they wish.

The Code will still allow for the age limit to be exceeded in exceptional circumstances, which should be detailed in the notes as before.

• Screening for Cytomegalovirus

All sperm donors should be screened for Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies and those found to be CMV seropositive should only be used for treating CMV seropositive women. 

This change in policy has been implemented due to the risks to the unborn child posed by infection of the mother with CMV. The Code will require centres to ensure that gametes from CMV seropositive donors are only used for CMV seropositive recipients. Additionally, the Code will require that only seropositive donors that are IgG positive and IgM negative should be used, as this indicates that the donor is unlikely to have an active CMV infection. The Code will also require centres to ensure that gametes from a donor who is initially CMV seronegative and seroconverts whilst donating are not be used for treatment services.

As with all screening procedures, it is essential that the recipients of gamete donations should receive information explaining the limitations of the testing procedures used and any risks associated with the treatment.

• Calculating the limit of ten

As you will be aware, the Code of Practice permits a maximum of ten live children to be born as a result of donations from any one donor. The current method for calculating this limit requires twin and triplet births to be counted as two and three towards the total of ten, respectively. It has now been agreed that, in future, twin and triplet births may be counted as one towards the limit of ten.

The Code of Practice will still allow the limit to be exceeded in exceptional circumstances, such as where a recipient wishes to have a subsequent child from the same donor.

If you have any queries about the contents of this letter, please contact Ginny Shires at the HFEA on 020 7539 3311.

Yours faithfully,

Ruth Deech
Chairman

Page last updated: 14 April 2009

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