Sperm bank

A sperm bank, semen bank or cryobank is a facility or enterprise that collects and stores human sperm from sperm donors for use by women who need donor-provided sperm to achieve pregnancy. Sperm donated by the sperm donor is known as donor sperm, and the process for introducing the sperm into the woman is called artificial insemination, which is a form of third party reproduction.

From a medical perspective, a pregnancy achieved using donor sperm is no different from a pregnancy achieved using partner sperm, and it is also no different from a pregnancy achieved by sexual intercourse.

General

Sperm banks enable greater control, especially in relation to the access and timing of pregnancies, since they check and screen potential donors, and provide formerly infertile couples or single women the chance to have babies. Sometimes controversy stems from the fact that donors father children for others and usually take no part in the upbringing of such children, and also from the fact that some places coupled lesbians can use sperm banks in order to have their own biological children. Donors may not have a say in who may use their sperm.