We’ve got your Marines ... NOW WE NEED YOUR SEMEN

With sperm banks low, NT looks to the USA

LESS than a handful of local blokes have donated sperm to the Territory’s sole fertility clinic in the past few years, leaving their American counterparts to provide bulk donations to single women and couples needing help to conceive.

NT fertility service Repromed reports only four men based in the Territory, out of a potential pool of 118,570, have donated to the service in the past three years – one of whom donated solely to a loved one.

The other three men were recruited by the clinic and their donations made available for use by 10 families in the NT and South Australia.

But Repromed regional manager Hamish Hamilton said despite the low number of local donations, there was no overall shortage at the clinic because Repromed had been importing donations from the US since 2017.

“Repromed have always been able to access sperm donors for our patients,” he said.

“However, to ensure our patients have a wider variety of donors to select from, they now have access to one of the world’s largest banks of sperm donors – The California Cryobank. Currently there are 48 CCB donors who have been specifically selected for our Australian donor program and comply with all Australian legislative requirements.”

The new figures show sperm donation numbers from

NT men have barely shifted since 2014, when the clinic had only three donations from NT men out of a possible 110,000.

At that time the lack of donations meant the clinic had a critical shortage, prompting Repromed to launch a recruitment drive in the Territory.

Dr Hamilton said there were several hurdles stopping men all over Australia – not just those in the Territory – becoming sperm donors.

“Barriers include lack of awareness about the need for sperm donors, donations are not paid for … a donor’s hesitation or fear that their partner may not agree with their donation, donations are not anonymous, and some men may not have the available time,” he said.