Selecting donors from a bank

Family Therapist Kim Bergman, PhD, explains the process of selecting a donor from a sperm banks and why it's important to get as much information as possible
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Selecting donors from a bank

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When you are choosing a donor from a sperm bank or an egg bank, different places are going to give you different levels of information you can get. The more information, the better. I mean, you are talking about something really, really important. You can order all kinds of extras, like a background check or extra medical, or you can go to an agency that already does those things. There are agencies that already do those things. In either case, you absolutely need a medical background, blood work, genetic testing, psychological screening. You can have intelligence tests that are done. Some agencies will show you SAT scores and some will just report them. I say if you are going to create a child and you get to pick, you might as well have as much information as possible. It can't hurt to have more layers of proof that the person is who they say they are. If you use a reputable sperm bank, you are going to get all of that anyway.

Family Therapist Kim Bergman, PhD, explains the process of selecting a donor from a sperm banks and why it's important to get as much information as possible

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Kim Bergman, PhD

Family Therapist

Kim Bergman, PhD, a licensed psychologist of 22 years, has specialized in the area of gay and lesbian parenting, parenting by choice and third party assisted reproduction for the last two decades. Dr. Bergman has created a comprehensive psychological screening, support and monitoring process for Intended Parents, Surrogates and Donors. She is the co-owner of Fertility Counseling Services and Growing Generations and is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the American Fertility Association, the American Psychological Association, the Los Angeles County Psychological Association, the Lesbian and Gay Psychotherapy Association, and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. She is on the national board of the Family Equality Council. Dr. Bergman writes, teaches and speaks extensively on parenting by choice. Along with co-authors, she published "Gay Men Who Become Fathers via Surrogacy: The Transition to Parenthood" (Journal of GLBT Family Studies, April 2010). Dr. Bergman created her own family using third party assisted reproduction and she lives with her wife of 28 years and their two teenage daughters. 

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Transcription: 
When you are choosing a donor from a sperm bank or an egg bank, different places are going to give you different levels of information you can get. The more information, the better. I mean, you are talking about something really, really important. You can order all kinds of extras, like a background check or extra medical, or you can go to an agency that already does those things. There are agencies that already do those things. In either case, you absolutely need a medical background, blood work, genetic testing, psychological screening. You can have intelligence tests that are done. Some agencies will show you SAT scores and some will just report them. I say if you are going to create a child and you get to pick, you might as well have as much information as possible. It can't hurt to have more layers of proof that the person is who they say they are. If you use a reputable sperm bank, you are going to get all of that anyway.