A leading Manchester sperm and egg donor bank is expecting more men and women in the region to consider being egg and sperm donors when the higher compensation rates come into effect next week.
Manchester Fertility, based at Cheadle Royal, says the new compensation rates announced by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which begin from 1 April, should encourage more donors to come forward because the new sums properly reward donors for the necessary time and commitment, without it being a financial inducement for those who wouldn’t otherwise consider it.
From 1 April Sperm donors will receive £35 per donation plus expenses, whilst women who become egg donors will receive £750 for each donation cycle, plus expenses. Both of these compensation rates replace the previous system which gave both egg and sperm donors up to £250 per cycle, plus expenses.
Dr Gidon Lieberman from Manchester Fertility, which operates the successful www.manchesterdonors.com sperm and egg donor programme, says: “When we’ve asked our donors why they came forward, money was never a consideration. It’s always been the desire to help others and these new compensation rates won’t change that. What it will do is perhaps make more people consider it, simply because they’re being adequately compensated for the time needed to become a donor.
“Sperm donors have to donate over many months, and donating eggs is an invasive procedure that does carry risks, including Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome - it’s why the amount for egg donors was increased quite substantially to reflect this.
“We’re hoping that people will see egg and sperm donation as a very altruistic thing to do, for which they won’t be ‘out of pocket’. Being a donor isn’t and shouldn’t be an easy quick way to get cash, it’s why the HFEA kept the amounts low.”
To find out more about what’s involved in being a sperm or egg donor, visit www.manchesterdonors.com
ENDS March 2012
Notes to editors:
- Manchester Fertility (www.manchesterfertility.com), based in Manchester city centre, has over 25 years experience in treating all forms of infertility and is now one of the UK’s leading private infertility clinics
- Over 3,500 babies have been born to date thanks to the expertise of the team which includes embryologists, andrologists, urologists, consultants and counsellors, many of whom are leaders in their field
- Manchester Fertility treats all patients who need help to get pregnant, including single women and same-sex couples
- It has its own successful dedicated egg and sperm donor recruitment programme www.manchesterdonors.com – the clinic has no waiting lists for donor sperm and all donors are from the UK
- Treatments at Manchester Fertility include IVF, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), egg-sharing, egg-freezing, sperm-freezing, intrauterine insemination, treatment using donor eggs and guidance with surrogacy
- Success rate for IVF patients who had blastocyst transfer in 2010 was 50%
- In a recent patient satisfaction survey, 100% of patients felt they had been treated with dignity and respect during their treatment at Manchester Fertility
- Manchester Fertility’ consultants work with patients to decide the best treatment option in an open, honest and transparent way – patients will only ever receive the treatment best suited to them and their unique needs; all costs are communicated clearly to patients with no ‘hidden extras’
- Staff at the clinic are known for their personal, empathic approach and have a unique understanding of the ups and downs of fertility treatment thanks to years of experience in helping people overcome infertility
Last updated: 27th January 2020
