Sperm donation banned? Diseases and unexpected exclusions worldwide

What exclusion from sperm donation means

A rejection may reflect very different decisions. Separating them helps explain apparently contradictory answers from different sperm banks.

Exclusion from the donor programme

A finding or history does not fit the requirements of that programme. It may be a long-term decision without saying anything about your ability to father a child.

Temporary deferral

A waiting period is necessary after an infection, exposure or particular treatment. Eligibility is assessed again afterwards.

Additional investigation

A question about countries or family first leads to a targeted test or specialist assessment. The question itself is not an exclusion.

Restricted use

A donation may only be usable in a particular situation, for example for someone known to the donor or after genetic assessment on the recipient’s side.

Facilities also set their own acceptance criteria. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, ASRM, for instance, lists good general health and suitable semen parameters as foundations of donor selection. A sample can be unsuitable for a donor programme even if the man is fertile. ASRM: selecting gamete donors

Common infection-related reasons: which pathogens are involved

The basic medical assessment includes infection testing and medical history. It is especially important to understand what a result actually shows and whether an earlier infection was successfully treated.

HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis and chlamydia

These involve HIV-1 and HIV-2, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), the syphilis bacterium Treponema pallidum and the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Testing is intended to prevent transmission through donation. FDA: pathogens and donor testing For sperm donation to other people, Germany’s TPG Tissue Ordinance requires negative results for HIV 1 and 2, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis. For chlamydia, a urine nucleic acid amplification test (NAT) is specified. It looks for the pathogen’s genetic material and must be negative. TPG-GewV, Annex 4, point 2

Treated infections

Gonorrhoea, also informally known as the clap, is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Canada treats chlamydia or gonorrhoea diagnosed or treated in the past two months as grounds for deferral. If the infection and treatment were earlier, successful treatment must be documented one month after completing therapy. A cured infection therefore does not automatically mean lifelong exclusion there. Health Canada: donor suitability

CMV: antibodies do not mean an active infection

CMV stands for cytomegalovirus. It can spread through bodily fluids, including semen; infection during pregnancy can harm the child. CDC: CMV and transmission Nevertheless, ASRM guidance does not automatically exclude a donor because antibodies are detected after previous exposure. Relevant factors include excluding an active infection, the recipient’s CMV status and the counselling required. ASRM: handling CMV findings

Inherited conditions: why a healthy carrier can be assessed differently

There is no infectious agent here. The issue is genetic variants that may be passed to a child. Someone can be healthy and still carry such a variant. For many recessive conditions, disease risk arises only if the child inherits a corresponding disease-causing variant from both genetic parents. The findings of the person whose egg is used can therefore matter too.

A study from China’s Hunan province shows how selection can differ: the sperm bank studied excluded applicants with indications of thalassaemia carrier status or G6PD deficiency. Thalassaemias affect the production of haemoglobin, the red blood pigment. In G6PD deficiency, the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase works inadequately, so red blood cells may break down prematurely. Published in 2022, the study describes that facility’s practice from 2018 to 2021. It does not establish a nationwide Chinese ban. Hunan study, MedlinePlus: G6PD deficiency

At the Australian provider Sperm Donors Australia, investigations for numerous inherited risks are part of the programme for clinic-recruited donors. A finding does not lead to the same decision everywhere: ASRM does not automatically consider healthy carriers of certain autosomal recessive conditions unsuitable if their own health is not at risk. The variant and the risk to the resulting child remain decisive. Sperm Donors Australia: donor programme, ASRM: genetic selection

Sometimes information is simply unavailable: a person who was adopted may not know their biological parents’ and grandparents’ medical history. ASRM recommends individual assessment in that situation. The problem is incomplete risk assessment, not a confirmed disease finding. ASRM: unknown family history

The article on carrier screening before sperm donation explains how the carrier status of both genetic parents affects the risk to a child.

HTLV-1, Chagas disease and malaria: why origin and travel are checked

A question about residence or origin can first help choose the correct tests. Germany specifies additional HTLV-I antibody testing if the donor lives in, or comes from, an area with higher prevalence. The origins of parents or sexual partners also matter. Depending on the history, testing for malaria or Trypanosoma cruzi may be added. TPG-GewV: additional investigations

HTLV-1: a virus that can remain unnoticed for years

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 can be sexually transmitted. In some infected people, it causes a particular blood cancer, adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma, or a spinal cord disease. Many infected people have no symptoms. History can therefore justify testing even in healthy applicants. WHO: HTLV-1 The WHO lists parts of Japan, Australia and the Pacific islands among areas with higher prevalence. These are regional concentrations, not blanket bans on those countries. WHO: regional distribution

Chagas disease: the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi

This single-celled parasite is found mainly in Latin America. Transmission there includes contact with the faeces of infected triatomine bugs; blood transfusions and transmission during pregnancy or birth are also possible. An infection unnoticed for a long time can later damage the heart and digestive system. This explains why origin and previous stays may prompt testing. WHO: Chagas disease

Malaria: parasites of the genus Plasmodium

Malaria is caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, including P. falciparum and P. vivax. Transmission is mainly through infected Anopheles mosquitoes. The destination, possible exposure and past illness explain the medical questions; nationality alone cannot answer them. WHO: malaria

These pathogens have very different transmission routes. A regulation specifying an additional test does not, by itself, establish transmission through donor semen. Individual assessment depends on the exact region, timing of travel and any illnesses. A list of countries alone is not enough.

Brazil: even dengue vaccination can require a donation break

A step taken to protect your own health can unexpectedly delay donation. In March 2025, Brazil’s health regulator Anvisa published updated criteria for egg and sperm donations and reproductive treatments relating to dengue and chikungunya.

The pathogens are dengue virus (DENV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Both are transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Dengue may cause serious bleeding and circulatory problems, among other effects; chikungunya is particularly known for joint problems that sometimes last a long time. WHO: dengue, WHO: chikungunya

• After dengue or chikungunya, Anvisa specifies 30 days of deferral after complete recovery.
• After severe dengue, the stated period is six months after complete recovery.
• After dengue vaccination with live attenuated viruses, a 30-day wait is specified.
• Sexual contact with someone diagnosed with dengue or chikungunya in the previous 30 days is also considered: the period is 30 days after the last contact.

These time-limited precautions also apply to overseas providers from affected regions wishing to supply eggs or sperm to Brazil. The health situation in the receiving country can therefore affect which donations a sperm bank may export. Anvisa: 2025 criteria, exact conditions

West Nile and Oropouche: what happens when new risks emerge

West Nile virus (WNV) is transmitted mainly by mosquitoes. It can cause fever and, in severe cases, inflammation of the brain or its membranes. Canada considers diagnosed or suspected WNV infection within 120 days after diagnosis or the onset of illness, whichever is later. This concerns a specific infection history with a defined period. CDC: West Nile disease, Health Canada: WNV criterion

Oropouche virus (OROV) shows how cautiously new findings must be interpreted. After outbreaks in parts of South and Central America and the Caribbean, and detection of replication-competent virus in a traveller’s semen, the US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, issued advice to cell and tissue donation establishments in November 2024. Oropouche can cause fever, headache, joint pain and occasionally nervous system disease; it is transmitted mainly by small blood-feeding insects, particularly biting midges.

The agency did not require a special Oropouche testing programme or a blanket restriction after every trip. It suggested considering possible illness and relevant symptoms during the previous six weeks when deciding eligibility. This is precautionary advice based on limited evidence, not proof of transmission through sperm donation. FDA: Oropouche and donor assessment

Zika: why an earlier country warning may now be wrong

The pathogen is Zika virus, or ZIKV. It is transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes, but also sexually. In adults, infection often goes unnoticed or is mild; during pregnancy, it can cause severe birth defects. Zika was therefore especially relevant to reproductive medicine. CDC: Zika and pregnancy risks

Zika can be tested for. Molecular tests detect the virus, and antibody tests are also available. However, a diagnostic investigation cannot safely clear semen for use: a negative blood test may reflect the virus no longer being detectable in blood even though it remains in semen. Viral shedding in genital secretions can also fluctuate. The CDC therefore does not recommend these tests to rule out sexual transmission. CDC: Zika tests, CDC: limits of testing for sexual transmission

On 20 May 2024, the FDA withdrew its specific Zika guidance for human cell and tissue donations. Its reason was the sharp decline in case numbers and the consequent change in relevance to potential donors. Establishments may therefore stop the special Zika risk screening. The change is based on the epidemiological situation, not a guarantee from negative tests. FDA: withdrawal and reasons

An old US travel restriction can therefore be outdated even if the pathogen remains medically relevant. For donation in another country, its current requirements must be checked separately.

BSE and vCJD: why Germany, Ireland and the Falkland Islands appear

The historical background to these unusual country questions is variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). It is associated with eating products from BSE-infected cattle. BSE stands for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly called mad cow disease. The agents are prions, abnormally misfolded proteins. They are neither viruses nor bacteria. CDC: BSE and vCJD

vCJD damages the brain, is fatal and may become apparent only years after exposure. This explains why the questions reach so far back. There is no FDA-approved prion test available for donor screening. A residence criterion is nevertheless a precaution, not a diagnosis. CDC: long incubation period, FDA: limits of prion donor screening

The FDA’s 2007 guidance names two different geographical criteria: a total of at least three months in its defined UK area between 1980 and 1996, and a total of at least five years in the listed European countries since 1980. Germany and the Republic of Ireland are on the Europe list. Northern Ireland and even the Falkland Islands fall under the UK grouping in this guidance. It concerns stays, not citizenship. FDA: sections IV.E.23–25 and Appendix 5

ASRM also includes the European residence criterion in its 2024 donation guidance. These countries are therefore more than an online rumour. The stated periods and length of stay remain decisive; a short holiday today is a different situation. ASRM: US donor screening

Other special cases: old hormone treatments, dura mater grafts and tattoos

Some exclusion questions seem unusual only because their medical history is unfamiliar. Canadian donor guidance, for instance, asks about certain past treatments with human growth hormone and grafts of the tough outer brain membrane, the dura mater. Health Canada: medical exclusion criteria

The reason here is iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, meaning CJD transmitted through medical procedures. Historically, growth hormone preparations from deceased people’s pituitary glands or contaminated dura mater grafts could transmit prions. The criterion concerns this particular treatment history, not every modern hormone treatment and not automatically BSE-related vCJD. FDA: iatrogenic CJD and historical preparations

Tattoos also involve more than a yes or no. Canada lists, for example, tattoos and piercings performed within the previous six months without sterile procedures. The decisive issue is the possible infection risk of the procedure. Health Canada: medical history and exposures

Animal transplants: why even close contacts can matter

A rare special case is xenotransplantation: treatment with living animal cells, tissues or organs. The FDA considers possible transmission of known and as-yet unknown animal pathogens. It therefore concerns a group of potential infection risks, not a single disease already diagnosed. FDA: background on xenotransplantation

The donor guidance also covers certain close contacts where an exchange of bodily fluids may have been possible. It names sexual partners and sharing razors or toothbrushes as examples. Simply living together is not enough. The recommendation also contains product-specific exceptions. FDA: section IV.E.29

The key word is living: the same guidance expressly excludes medical products made from non-living animal material, such as certain pig heart valves, from these xenotransplantation products. Even a very unusual question requires clarification of the exact treatment.

When appropriate tests replace a country question: HIV-1 group O

A particularly clear special case is HIV-1 group O, a variant of HIV-1. The FDA’s 2007 guidance names questions about certain African countries, such as Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The concern is a particular pathogen variant and its detection by tests.

The decisive qualification is already in that same guidance: a facility using an FDA-approved HIV antibody screening test whose intended use expressly includes detecting group O may omit these country questions. Repeating the country names alone leaves out this precise exception. FDA: sections IV.E.27–28 and the following note

What has changed: HIV, sexual behaviour and BSE precautions

Some earlier exclusions have now been expressly reassessed. In the United Kingdom, the November 2024 legislative change allows people with HIV to donate to known recipients under certain conditions. The regulator HFEA specifies, among other requirements, at least six months of HIV medication and two prescribed blood tests confirming sufficiently low virus levels in the blood. Recipients must receive information and consent; the clinic must also be authorised to offer the procedure.

The exception applies to known recipients. It does not open general sperm bank donation to unknown people. This example shows why even the statement that HIV always means an absolute donation ban is too broad. HFEA: known donation with treated HIV

Canada changed its selection criteria in 2024 too: questions about specific sexual behaviour replaced the earlier blanket exclusion of men based on sexual contact with men. For example, the current directive considers certain new or multiple sexual contacts involving anal intercourse. Sexual orientation is not a disease; a defined exposure is being assessed. Health Canada: revised selection criteria, current criteria

For BSE precautions in the US, the FDA removed certain geographical deferrals for blood donation in 2022 following new risk assessments. Sperm donation requirements did not automatically change. Being allowed to donate blood again does not necessarily mean meeting a sperm bank’s requirements. FDA: change for blood and blood components

Why the same donation is accepted in one country but not another

Several layers come together: the local health situation, the prescribed investigations, the type of donation and the recipient country’s conditions. A Brazilian importer, for example, must consider Anvisa’s requirements there. A British exception for known HIV-positive donors cannot simply be extended to use abroad. Anvisa: imported donations, HFEA: export limits

The status of the source matters too. As of 14 September 2026, the FDA still lists its new general donor eligibility guidance from January 2025 as a draft not for implementation. A draft is not a replacement already in force. Conversely, an older professional overview may still include criteria changed by a later agency notice. FDA: status of the guidance

After a rejection, it is therefore worth asking about the exact criterion. Only then can you establish whether the decision is permanent, a waiting period is still running or donation could be possible under different conditions.

How to clarify a possible restriction before you apply

You do not need to interpret the rules medically yourself. A short account of your history does, however, help the sperm bank assess your case.

• List previous places of residence and extended stays, with the country, dates and approximate total duration.
• Add recent travel, vaccinations, special treatments and known diseases in your family.
• For treated infections, have your results, treatment dates and evidence of successful treatment ready.
• If rejected, ask: permanent exclusion, deferral until a particular date or an investigation still missing?
• Clarify whether the decision applies to this programme, the treatment country or a particular donation arrangement.

Your health information should remain complete even when you apply a second time. The article on health information for sperm donors explains what is useful. The guides to sperm donation in Germany and sperm donation in the US explore the respective frameworks.

Conclusion

A dengue vaccination, a previous place of residence or a genetic test can affect sperm donation for completely different reasons. Knowing the disease, the specific condition and the rule’s current status helps explain even unusual questions on a donor form. A rejection initially says something about this donation within this programme, not about your health or fertility in general.