Deciding on sperm donation is an emotional process and should not be taken lightly. As a sperm donor you are giving hope to people not able to have children. You are deciding to give life to possibly a dozen or more children, without personally knowing the families that will be created. Before walking into the sperm bank, spend some time considering the psychological impact of your decision.

Becoming a sperm donor does not have to be something you share with every person in your life, but you will need to discuss it with your family. The screening process requires a thorough analysis of family medical history, and possibly an interview. Your partner may feel shocked, even angry at the thought of your donation. Will you and your family be able to work through everything and reach a place of understanding and acceptance? Consider the emotional, financial and sexual impact of your decision. Professional support will help, as will honest communication.

Before making the final decision, investigate the kinds of psychological evaluations that will be performed by the clinic. Both donors and recipients are rigorously evaluated by mental health professionals before the donation occurs. Applicants are assessed for their attitudes towards sperm donation, as well as their aptitude for parenting. There is no concise map for spotting a good parent, but there are clear signs for identifying those who would not be suited. The most common concern for sperm donors is whether the recipient will be able to accept a child they know is not genetically related to them. Infants are sweet and cute and easy to be in love with, but will the parent still want the child if there are unforeseen behavioral or medical problems? It is a {complicated|perplexing|perplexing} question and a very valid concern, especially for adults who are not parents themselves. When an adult becomes a parent, they accept their child no matter who they are or where they came from. The parent-child relationship does not have to be genetically based, it is hinged on love and support.

For those sperm donors who already have their own children, it may be difficult to make sense of the fact that their children are biologically related to children conceived through donated sperm. The logical nature of the concept may be viewed as positive or negative, depending on one's individual belief system. The decision to tell your own children about your decision to donate sperm is very personal, and should obviously take place only when the children are at an age when they can appropriately understand the biological mechanics of the situation.

Becoming a sperm donor is a lifelong decision. Certainly there are sperm banks who support anonymity among the donors, that is the facility knows who the donors are but the recipient does not. However, that may change. Over our lifetime it may become feasible for children of artificial insemination to find the person who acted as a sperm donor. How would you feel if that happened? Some donors prefer to have their information available for the child to use if they wish. The decision is purely individual.

There are some social concerns that one donor may end up as the genetic parent to many donor children within a single country, creating a genetic issue if donor children produce their own offspring together. Of course, marrying closely related family members such as cousins is a practice that still takes place in traditional societies around the world, and was the case for much of the western world until the 20th century. Most people were born, raised families and died in the same villages for centuries. Marriage among closely related people is why the Italians look Italian, the Swedes look Swedish, the Germans look German. The movement towards 'OpenID' donors is reducing this remote possibility. Further, many countries have enacted regulations to limit the number of children born through a single donor, and in some countries, such as in the State of New South Wales in Australia, they have limited the number of a donor's worldwide offspring to just 5.

The psychological impact of becoming a sperm donor is significant and should not be taken lightly. The decision to donate is a noble one that is appreciated by the families which are created, but will have a lifelong impact on you, your significant others, and your own family. It is best to openly communicate this decision to the people who know you best, so that they can be a part of this decision and embrace the change that will come to their lives because of it.