Does not being accepted into the sperm donation program mean I am infertile?

Good morning everybody,

I went last week to a sperm bank because I wanted to donate my sperm… They did some tests to me and then after the very first semen analysis I was ruled out because they said my sperm concentration levels were not those expected for sperm donors… I think it was a 19 million sperm/ml concentration. What does it mean? Does it mean I won’t be able to have a baby of my own? In other words, am I infertile?

Thanks for your help

Hello caesar ivf,

For your own peace of mind, there is no reason to worry because the sperm concentration value shown in your seminogram is above the reference valued established by the WHO (World Health Organization). A man is considered to be fertile if his sperm concentration is above 15 million sperm per milliliter. Nevertheless, all sperm values must be normal as well (sperm morphology, sperm motility, etc.).

The only reason why you weren’t accepted as a donor is because fertility clinics establish very strict criteria for sperm donor selection, provided that semen samples from sperm donors must be of optimal quality. Unfortunately, yours is near the boundary line, but not above. High quality samples, able to survive the freezing-thawing process are the ones sought by fertility clinics and sperm banks.

Thus, even though you cannot donate your sperm, don’t worry because your sperm concentration shows that you are a fertile man and therefore you will be able to have children with no problem.

Best wishes