How do I prepare for semen collection?

Hello I’ve been accepted as a sperm donor in a sperm bank from Illinois but I feel kind of awkward and embarrassed with the process. I’ve been told only a few steps to prepare for that day, but I think I need more guidelines to be sure about how to proceed.

I’ve an appointment to drop it off at the center, because I prefer to do so rather than producing it at home. I’ve been told to refrain from sexual intercourse, but they said “for 2 days”, and other fellow donors told me “1 week”, so I’m not sure if this agency is reliable on this issue… Apart from that… are there any other special requirements? And what medicines, foods, drinks, etc. do you recommend me not to take?

Thanks, I hope you can make me feel a bit better at least 🙂 Thanks!

Dear Liam87,

It’s totally normal to feel a little bit uncomfortable about semen collection. Bear in mind that you’ll be performing something private in a totally unknown environment, surrounded by all the clinic staff. Besides, you are doing it “on demand” to hand it over when it’s done immediately.

But you should bear in mind that the agency staff, the nurses and whoever employed there are used to see thousands of men in your situation every day, multiple times. So this part of the process shouldn’t be worrying, because there’s no reason to be stressed about it.

As for how to prepare for the process, abstaining from sexual activity is crucial for a minimum of 2 days but no more than 10 days. Therefore, both your agency and your friends were right. Please, don’t forget that it’s not only about sexual intercourse but also other ways of ejaculating, including masturbation. The longer the period is, the decreased sperm motility. Thus, samples collected after 2 days are usually the ones containing the highest number of healthy, motile sperm.

Of course, smoking, drinking or taking drugs are absolutely forbidden during the whole process, especially during the 10 days before sperm collection. Caffeine, chemotherapy medicines, male and/or female hormones such as testosterone, marijuana, echinacea and other herbal medicines could also affect the quality of your sample.

Finally, you should shower and wash your hands carefully and refrain from using saliva, lubricant and products containing spermicidal agents before collecting the semen sample.

These are basic guidelines to follow during the process of semen collection. Don’t miss them!

Good luck!