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Writer's pictureDr Matthias de Ferrieres

Egg and Sperm donation in Singapore


In Singapore, about 5 per cent of couples going through fertility treatment may need a donor, according to Virtus Fertility Centre. We differentiate the Sperm donors and the Egg Donor for the Singapore case.




Is egg donation allowed in Singapore? Egg donation is allowed in Singapore. However, it is not a popular practice at the moment, resulting in a limited number of egg donors. Fertility specialists in Singapore would generally advise patients seeking egg donations to first ask from relatives or close friends.


There are several requirements for the egg donor

First, she should be between 18 and 35 years old. She cannot be related to the husband, but can be related to the wife, or may be a complete stranger. The donor will also need to go through a health screening for sexually transmitted diseases and other conditions


How much does it cost to get an egg from a donor? The average cost of using an egg donor can range from $20,000 to $40,000 depending on the individual arrangements. In states like California, where egg donors are in high demand, the price may be slightly higher. Legal requirements and the costs of other services can also vary from state to state.


Is egg donation painful? While egg donation is generally not painful, there are a few possible sensations and side effects you should be aware of. The first major step in the egg donation procedure is to stimulate the ovaries with fertility medications to make them produce multiple eggs at once.


What are the requirements to be an egg donor?

If you are thinking of donating your eggs, you must fulfil the following criteria:

  • You should not be older than 35 years old

  • You will need to complete a counselling and a psychological assessment session prior to donation

  • You will need to be screened for certain genetic risks or diseases

  • You will agree that the donation is done as an altruistic transaction (Under Singapore law, egg donors cannot be paid for their donation. However, the legislation does allow the recipient to pay for the cost incurred for the donation e.g. transport)


Is sperm donor allowed in Singapore? Donors can only be registered at one sperm bank. Besides SGH, there are two other public hospitals, including KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), a member of the SingHealth group, with sperm banks within their fertility centres. A minimum of four to six samples of sperm is required within three months.


Do sperm donors get paid?

The amount offered is not a payment, and a person should never feel compelled to donate for financial gain but rather because they want to help a family in need. Donors will only be given a small token as transport allowance.

Considering To Be A Sperm Donor?

Men who are keen to donate their sperm should not have hereditary diseases or suffer from any medical or mental conditions. Here’s the list of criteria for sperm donors:

  • Healthy men aged between 18 and 40,

  • Single or married,

  • Singapore citizens living in Singapore, permanent residents or foreigners with Singapore employment permits,

  • If not a Singaporean, the potential donor must have lived in Singapore for at least a year,

  • The donor should clear the mandatory health screening process.


How the sperm donation process works?

  1. Call the sperm bank to make an appointment. Dr Rajesh observes: “A positive experience leads to word-of-mouth referrals. At the Centre for Assisted Reproduction (CARE) at SGH, potential donors call out of their own initiative, without any advertising on our part.”

  2. Go through a full body check-up. You will also have to provide your personal health details, as well as information about the health of family members. “The donor will have access to his semen evaluation and his infectious diseases screening results,” says Dr Rajesh.

  3. Sign a legal document stating that all the information provided is true, and that you will not pursue the identity of the child who is born from the donated sperm. In fact, you will not even know if your sperm is eventually used for artificial insemination or not.

  4. A month later, the actual donation can be done in the privacy of the home, or at the sperm bank. Donors can only be registered at one sperm bank. Besides SGH, there are two other public hospitals, including KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), a member of the SingHealth group, with sperm banks within their fertility centres.

  5. A minimum of four to six samples of sperm is required within three months. After six months, these samples will be re-screened for disease. Any infected sperm is of course immediately rejected. Dr Rajesh adds: “At CARE, only 10 donations were accepted between 2008 and 2011, out of the 14 that were offered.”

What happens after sperm donation?

Sperm donation is strictly anonymous – both donor and recipient will never meet. Dr Rajesh says: “The recipient of donor sperm will also never be made aware of donor-related information.” Only you will know that your donation might have helped a childless couple become a family.


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