Fertility clinics in South Australia say they are struggling to keep up with an increasing demand for donor sperm.

They said rising infertility rates along with a greater number of same-sex couples and single women requesting treatments have contributed to the shortage in donated sperm supplies.

Repromed Fertility Specialists general manager Dr Hamish Hamilton said more sperm donors are needed, but numbers had been steadily declining over the past decade.

“Back in the 80s and 90s sperm donors could donate anonymously and the screening processes weren’t as tight as they are now,” he said.

Under legislation, those conceived through a donor are entitled to know the identity of their biological parents.

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“Every sperm donor now has to agree to be contacted in 18 years time when the child reaches 18 years of age,” he said.

“So that rigour around the recruitment of donor sperms means there are less donors willing to donate.”

Dr Hamilton said the increase in demand at Repromed could also be attributed to a greater number of women looking to start a family later in life.

“Obviously the age of the female is a very important factor in the ability to have a child so that’s the main issue,” he said.

Flinders Fertility Director of Clinical Services, Dr Michael McEvoy, said infertility rates in males were also on the rise.

“The commonality of male contribution to infertility is probably about 40 per cent, whereas I think the perception is that it’s mainly a female problem,” he said.

“I think there is generally a lack of awareness of how common male infertility is, that’s a very big issue in our community.”

In South Australia, one donor can be used to help up to 10 families have children.

Clinics forced to import donor sperm from overseas

Depleted sperm stocks in South Australia have forced an increasing number of clinics look abroad for donor sperm.

Dr McEvoy said Flinders Fertility had been importing donations from the European Sperm Bank in a bid to keep up with the demand.

“We have gone over there to make sure all of their criteria match the Australian requirements, which they do, and we import the sperm through quarantine in a frozen container,” he said.

“That’s all been extremely well received by Australian clients.”

Dr Hamilton said recruiting sperm donors from overseas was becoming a more commonly used practice.

“Sperm donors that are used from overseas, the same criteria applies, you have to abide by Australian legislation and regulations,” he said.

“You can’t commercially pay donors to donate their sperm or eggs, they have to go through the same rigorous screening process, they have to have counselling.

“There are a lot of regulations we put in place to make sure the child’s best interests are looked after, because that’s the most important thing.”

Repromed and Flinders Fertility said greater public awareness and knowledge of sperm donation was needed to boost donor numbers.