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A view of sperm through a microscope.

Medical and genetic considerations

Choosing a donor can be an emotional experience. It’s also one that requires some solid information to help you make your decision. Learning more about a donor's medical background and genetic testing is a great place to start.  

Expert-led clinical evaluations

During approximately a three- to six-month period, our team of trained and certified experts perform the physical, medical, genetic, and psychological evaluations (including regular testing of sperm and blood samples) of applicants to help ensure they are up to California Cryobank® donor standards. 

Infectious disease screening
CMV testing
CMV (cytomegalovirus) is a virus that initially presents as a mild cold, with symptoms resolving quickly. Many people who contract CMV are never symptomatic and most don't even know whether they have ever been infected. Exposure to this virus is quite common, with about 50% to 85% of people in the U.S. having CMV at some point in their life.  It typically doesn’t cause problems in healthy people. But in a small number of cases, it can be a risk for a developing fetus. For that reason, FDA, AATB, NYS and Health Canada regulations and standards require us to test all our potential donors to ensure they do not have an active infection. Donors listed as "CMV positive" have blood work showing a remote (past) infection, but not an active infection at the time of donation. 
Learn more
Psychological assessment and background checks
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Genetic evaluation

  1. A female holding a child while standing.

    What to expect

    It’s important to consider your donor’s genetic test results (carrier screening) as well as those of the person providing the egg. First, it’s important to know that everyone carries mutations for autosomal recessive genetic conditions, and that is completely “normal.” And simply being a carrier for these conditions does not mean your children will be affected by them. However, there is some risk of having a child with one of these conditions if both you and the donor (or the person providing the egg) carry a mutation for the same condition.
  2. A medical professional discussing information on a tablet with another person.

    The donor’s test results

    California Cryobank donors are now screened for hundreds of recessive conditions to evaluate risks for specific disorders in the individuals conceived. Because not all donors are screened for the same conditions, you should download your donor’s genetic test summary (GTS) to learn more. Both the GTS and family medical history are available for free on the donor's profile page. Please discuss these items with your healthcare provider and sign any necessary acknowledgments before shipping vials.
    See example
  3. Two people having a conversation while seated in a medical office.

    Your test results

    If you've yet to have a carrier screening performed, we suggest you speak to your healthcare provider. It's something that's recommended for anyone planning a pregnancy, and is covered by most insurance plans. And if you already know you carry a mutation for a specific genetic condition and are considering a donor who wasn’t screened for that condition, we may be able to provide special testing for the donor to see if he too is a carrier for that condition. 
    Learn more
Item 1 of 3
  1. A female holding a child while standing.

    What to expect

    It’s important to consider your donor’s genetic test results (carrier screening) as well as those of the person providing the egg. First, it’s important to know that everyone carries mutations for autosomal recessive genetic conditions, and that is completely “normal.” And simply being a carrier for these conditions does not mean your children will be affected by them. However, there is some risk of having a child with one of these conditions if both you and the donor (or the person providing the egg) carry a mutation for the same condition.
  2. A medical professional discussing information on a tablet with another person.

    The donor’s test results

    California Cryobank donors are now screened for hundreds of recessive conditions to evaluate risks for specific disorders in the individuals conceived. Because not all donors are screened for the same conditions, you should download your donor’s genetic test summary (GTS) to learn more. Both the GTS and family medical history are available for free on the donor's profile page. Please discuss these items with your healthcare provider and sign any necessary acknowledgments before shipping vials.
    See example
  3. Two people having a conversation while seated in a medical office.

    Your test results

    If you've yet to have a carrier screening performed, we suggest you speak to your healthcare provider. It's something that's recommended for anyone planning a pregnancy, and is covered by most insurance plans. And if you already know you carry a mutation for a specific genetic condition and are considering a donor who wasn’t screened for that condition, we may be able to provide special testing for the donor to see if he too is a carrier for that condition. 
    Learn more
Item 1 of 3
A person smiling while on a hike with friends.

Medical and genetic updates

We ask our donors to keep us updated on their personal and family medical histories. Our genetics team may notify you about significant donor updates if the information could be relevant to your child's health. You can also call or email us to ask about any updates regarding your donor.
Contact us
Genetic testing
Minimize
  1. A female holding a child while standing.

    What to expect

    It’s important to consider your donor’s genetic test results (carrier screening) as well as those of the person providing the egg. First, it’s important to know that everyone carries mutations for autosomal recessive genetic conditions, and that is completely “normal.” And simply being a carrier for these conditions does not mean your children will be affected by them. However, there is some risk of having a child with one of these conditions if both you and the donor (or the person providing the egg) carry a mutation for the same condition.
  2. A medical professional discussing information on a tablet with another person.

    The donor’s test results

    California Cryobank donors are now screened for hundreds of recessive conditions to evaluate risks for specific disorders in the individuals conceived. Because not all donors are screened for the same conditions, you should download your donor’s genetic test summary (GTS) to learn more. Both the GTS and family medical history are available for free on the donor's profile page. Please discuss these items with your healthcare provider and sign any necessary acknowledgments before shipping vials.
    See example
  3. Two people having a conversation while seated in a medical office.

    Your test results

    If you've yet to have a carrier screening performed, we suggest you speak to your healthcare provider. It's something that's recommended for anyone planning a pregnancy, and is covered by most insurance plans. And if you already know you carry a mutation for a specific genetic condition and are considering a donor who wasn’t screened for that condition, we may be able to provide special testing for the donor to see if he too is a carrier for that condition. 
    Learn more
Item 1 of 3
  1. A female holding a child while standing.

    What to expect

    It’s important to consider your donor’s genetic test results (carrier screening) as well as those of the person providing the egg. First, it’s important to know that everyone carries mutations for autosomal recessive genetic conditions, and that is completely “normal.” And simply being a carrier for these conditions does not mean your children will be affected by them. However, there is some risk of having a child with one of these conditions if both you and the donor (or the person providing the egg) carry a mutation for the same condition.
  2. A medical professional discussing information on a tablet with another person.

    The donor’s test results

    California Cryobank donors are now screened for hundreds of recessive conditions to evaluate risks for specific disorders in the individuals conceived. Because not all donors are screened for the same conditions, you should download your donor’s genetic test summary (GTS) to learn more. Both the GTS and family medical history are available for free on the donor's profile page. Please discuss these items with your healthcare provider and sign any necessary acknowledgments before shipping vials.
    See example
  3. Two people having a conversation while seated in a medical office.

    Your test results

    If you've yet to have a carrier screening performed, we suggest you speak to your healthcare provider. It's something that's recommended for anyone planning a pregnancy, and is covered by most insurance plans. And if you already know you carry a mutation for a specific genetic condition and are considering a donor who wasn’t screened for that condition, we may be able to provide special testing for the donor to see if he too is a carrier for that condition. 
    Learn more
Item 1 of 3
A person smiling while on a hike with friends.

Medical and genetic updates

We ask our donors to keep us updated on their personal and family medical histories. Our genetics team may notify you about significant donor updates if the information could be relevant to your child's health. You can also call or email us to ask about any updates regarding your donor.
Contact us
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Understanding blood type

For many families, the donor’s blood type is an important part of deciding on a donor. 

Rh negative

The donor's blood type may be medically important to consider if the person carrying the child is Rh negative (Rh-). These individuals may develop antibodies to a fetus that is Rh positive — which could be the case if either the egg or sperm source is Rh positive.

Matching blood types

There are also those who feel selecting a donor with a blood type matching at least one of the intended parent’s will help to ensure that a parent could donate blood to their child if needed. However, it’s important to remember that children do not always inherit the same blood type as their biological parents. For example, a couple with blood types of A and B could have an offspring with any of the four blood types: A, B, O, or AB. 
An adult hand embracing the hand of an infant.

Some common questions about donor screening

See all FAQs

Why does California Cryobank perform a genetic evaluation on donor applicants?
Every child (regardless of whether they were conceived with or without assisted reproductive technologies) has a 3% to 4% chance of having a birth defect. It’s impossible to eliminate these risks or test for all of them before becoming pregnant. However, a genetic risk assessment is performed on California Cryobank's donor applicants as part of the donor qualification process. The goal of the risk assessment is to try to reduce the risk for significant medical problems in the donor-conceived children. If a donor applicant has a significantly increased risk (above the 3-5% risk of the general population), of having children with a major birth defect, the donor would not be suitable to participate in our donor program. 
How can I find out what genetic tests were performed on the donors in which I am interested?
A genetic test summary (GTS) tells you which specific tests were performed on a donor and the results of those tests. Our reproductive genetic specialists are available to discuss the tests performed on your donor, the test limitations, and additional testing options you may want to consider. For more information, please contact us. 
When are new tests added to the donor qualification process?
Genetic tests and technologies are continuously being developed and improved. New developments may sometimes lead to changes in the genetic testing we perform on our sperm donor applicants. In most cases, when we add new genetic tests to our screening process, the tests are performed on new donor applicants but not retired donors. Therefore, not every donor with vials available for purchase has had the same genetic testing.
Can I request that my donor be tested for other genetic conditions?
Special requests for genetic testing are accommodated whenever possible. If you carry a mutation for a particular condition and there is a medical risk to your future children, please contact our reproductive genetic specialists to discuss the available options for donor testing. For more information, please contact our reproductive genetic specialists and see our Special Testing Information Sheet. 
Download special testing information sheet

Still have questions?

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Discover more resources

Check out our valuable resources to help you learn more about using donor sperm for your family building.
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