Your sperm donor search A-Z: (Almost) everything from anonymous to vial type, covered
Key takeaways
Know your options: Understand the differences between anonymous, open and ID disclosure donors - and consider what feels right for your family’s future.
Focus on what matters most: Use California Cryobank’s advanced filters for medical history, genetic screening, CMV status, physical traits, vial type, price and lots more to narrow your search.
Take your time finding the right fit: Save favorites, compare donor profiles and consider future family-building plans, including whether you may want to use the same donor for another child.
Choosing a sperm donor is about so much more than finding a profile that catches your eye. Whether you’re exploring donor conception as a solo parent by choice, building a family with your partner, or navigating male-factor infertility, it’s a deeply personal decision that can bring up all sorts of questions along the way.
You might have a clear idea of what you’re looking for from the outset. Perhaps there are particular physical traits, medical considerations or cultural connections that matter to you. Or maybe you’re not quite sure where to start – and that’s completely normal, too.
As one of the world’s largest sperm banks, California Cryobank® has been supporting families for nearly 50 years. Its brand new and refreshed online donor search is designed to make the process more intuitive and personal, giving intended parents (IPs) more ways to filter their options, save favorites, compare profiles and keep track of their thoughts as they go.
It helps to know the why behind your options, in any search. TRB founder and CEO Eloise is mom to five sperm donor-conceived children remembers,
“Having so many options and filters is fantastic, but it can be a little overwhelming. I especially found this at first, when the concept and process was so new to me, and my husband. Once we’d asked lots of questions though – and started saving profiles – the options helped us drill down into what (and who!) we were really looking for – what was important, and what wasn’t.”
In collab with California Cryobank, we’ve in-depth tested their new and evolved donor search and put together an A-Z guide to the modern sperm donor search, exploring everything from anonymity and blood type to genetic testing and vial types. Think of it as a starting point to help you work out what matters most to you and your future family.
A – Anonymous donor
One of the first decisions you’ll encounter is how much information about a donor’s identity may be available to a donor-conceived person in the future.
California Cryobank offers different donor types, each reflecting the agreement a donor has made regarding future identity disclosure and potential contact.
Anonymous donors have not agreed to contact with a donor-conceived person, although they have not ruled out possible anonymous interaction in the future. Understanding the distinctions between donor types is important when deciding what feels right for your family and how you want to approach conversations about donor conception as your child grows.
B – Blood type
Blood type might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you picture your ideal donor, but it can be an important consideration.
California Cryobank’s search allows you to filter donors by blood type, including A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-, O+ and O-.
Your reasons for considering blood type may be medical, personal or practical. You might be thinking about medical compatibility, future medical planning or privacy, including whether you want your child’s blood type to be consistent with what others might expect based on your family circumstances.
If blood type is a concern for you, it’s worth discussing your specific circumstances with your healthcare professional.
C – CMV
CMV stands for cytomegalovirus, a common virus that many people encounter during their lifetime. Around 50-85% of people in the US test positive for CMV.
The virus does not usually cause problems in healthy people, but a new CMV infection during pregnancy can pose risks to a developing fetus, particularly if the pregnant person has not previously been exposed.
California Cryobank allows you to filter your search by CMV status. However, selecting CMV-negative donors unnecessarily can limit your options, so it’s important to speak to your physician about what is appropriate for your individual circumstances.
D – Donor ID
Every California Cryobank donor has a unique donor ID, making it easier to keep track of profiles as you explore your options.
As well as adding donors to your favorites, you can hide profiles that aren’t right for you and compare potential matches.
If you’re hoping to build your family using the same donor in the future, the Donor Reserve programme may also be worth exploring. It offers selected donors’ vials exclusively to one family or to a limited number of families, depending on the level chosen.
Donor Reserve donors undergo the same comprehensive screening as other qualified donors. The difference is that a limited number of vials are available, making this an option for those who are looking for family exclusivity, specifically.
E – Education and ethnicity
Ancestry and academics can be helpful filters, if a particular background or cultural connection is an important factor in your decision process.
California Cryobank’s donor profiles include information about education level, from undergraduate degrees to postgraduate qualifications and other areas of study. Donors provide the detail here, and subjects range from biochemistry and law to English literature and sculpture.
You can also explore donors by ethnic origin and ancestry. Filters include Asian, Black or African American, Caucasian, East Indian, Hispanic or Latino, Middle Eastern or Arabic, mixed or multi-ethnic and more.
Just like the academics, ancestry information is based on donor-entered data and covers a wide range of options. There’s also an on/off toggle for Jewish ancestry, which you may require as part of a medical screening protocol, religious law (Halakha) or demographic consideration.
F – Family planning
When choosing a donor, it’s worth thinking ahead – as tricky as that may seem when you’re starting the process for the first time.
If you plan to have more than one child, for example, you may want to think about your preferences for having the same donor in the future. This can be an important part of your decision-making process.
Donor vials do sell out, so purchasing more in advance might be something to consider if you’d like to have the option in the future.
Read more in our deep-dive to using the same sperm donor twice.
G – Genetic testing
Genetic screening is an important part of choosing a donor, helping IPs make informed decisions about potential inherited health risks.
California Cryobank assesses all applicants using extensive laboratory testing, background surveys and interviews, with reproductive genetic specialists reviewing the information. The aim is to identify significant health risks that could disqualify a donor and support IPs with an informed decision making process.
H – Hear them speak
California Cryobank offers several ways to get to know donors beyond their basic profile information.
You can listen to audio interviews in which donors talk about their lives and interests, explore the “Express Yourself” section, which features poetry, songs, drawings and more, or read personal essays written by donors themselves.
I – ID disclosure donor
ID disclosure donors have agreed that California Cryobank can release their identifying information if a donor-conceived individual requests it, once they turn 18.
This information may include the donor’s full name, date of birth and last-known address.
The distinction between anonymous, open and ID disclosure donors comes down to the agreement each has made about future identity disclosure and contact.
J – Jurisdiction
California Cryobank’s search allows you to filter by shipping destination, including the United States, UK, Canada, Australia and Colorado in the US. If you live in, or need vials shipped to, the UK, Canada, Australia or Colorado, your chosen donor must be approved for shipment to that location.
K – Known donor
A known sperm donor, sometimes called a ‘directed’ or ‘identified’ donor, is someone chosen personally by the IP(s) rather than selected through a sperm bank.
This might be a friend, family member or acquaintance who has agreed to donate sperm.
L – Limits
California Cryobank voluntarily limits the number of family units per donor worldwide to a maximum of 25-30. It also considers how long a donor remains active in the programme and the total number of vials distributed.
Pregnancy and birth reports are monitored to help maintain this goal.
M – Medical history
California Cryobank provides a detailed summary of each donor’s personal and family medical history.
N – Number of pregnancies
Each donor’s expanded profile indicates whether California Cryobank has received at least one pregnancy report for that donor. You can find this information in the Clinical section of the profile.
It’s worth remembering that a reported pregnancy is not, in itself, an indication of sperm quality. Donors have undergone extensive screening, and pregnancy outcomes can depend on many factors beyond the donor alone.
O – Open donor
Open donors have agreed to one communication with a donor-conceived person once that individual turns 18.
California Cryobank aims to make this contact meaningful, although there may be circumstances outside its control that prevent communication from taking place.
P – Photos
California Cryobank provides childhood photographs, from around six months to 12 years of age, and adult photographs where available. You can also filter for adult photographs as a “must-have” in your search.
Q – Questions
You’re bound to have questions – lots of them, and at any time in the process! California Cryobank has a frequently asked questions section and a contact page where you can find further information or reach out to the team.
R – Religion
California Cryobank’s search includes a range of religions, including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh, alongside agnostic, atheist, other and declined-to-state options.
S – Sibling registry
California Cryobank say,
“We understand that parents and donor conceived individuals may be interested in extending their “family circle” and connecting with each other.
We created our Sibling Registry to provide families with the opportunity to interact with other families who selected the same donor. Not all families choose to participate, so the registry is not a complete list of siblings. Before you register, you must have reported a pregnancy to gain access.”
Read more about TRB founder Eloise’s experience in our guide to donor sibling registries.
T – Traits
From height, eye color and hair texture to complexion, weight and BMI, physical traits can be part of your initial donor search.
California Cryobank’s profiles also include an introduction to each donor, covering their values, interests and hobbies. Once you’ve created an account, you can access an extended profile with more information about education, occupation, skills, abilities and physical qualities.
V – Vial type
Your treatment plan will help determine which type of sperm vial you need.
California Cryobank offers several vial types, including:
- IUI: intrauterine insemination
- ICI: intracervical insemination
- IVF: in vitro fertilisation
- ICSI: intracytoplasmic sperm injection
- ART: assisted reproductive technology
The search allows you to filter by vial type and price, helping you focus on options that fit your clinical requirements and budget.
California Cryobank also offers a separate collection of qualified donors with pricing that is the same across ICI, IUI, IVF and ICSI vial types, although prices vary by donor disclosure type. The aim is to provide families with greater access to donor sperm without compromising quality.
Your fertility clinic can advise on which vial type is appropriate for your planned treatment.
W – What’s your budget?
California Cryobank’s updated search includes price-based filtering, making it easier to compare available options within your budget.
It’s worth looking at the bigger picture, too. If you hope to have more than one child using the same donor, the cost and availability of additional vials may influence your decision.
X, Y and Z
We’re not going to cram a bunch of fluff in here, just to fill out the alphabet. But there’s something worth remembering about the donor search: not everything that matters can be captured in a filter.
As Eloise, founder and CEO of The Ribbon Box, puts it:
“We can have a firm idea of blood type and screening preferences, but after that, it’s going to come down to that X factor, so to speak, that shines out from the right profile for you. Or, it may not. It’s totally valid – and normal! – not to be sure. In the end, you just go with it, and life catches up with your decision process!”
Ready to start your sperm donor search?
California Cryobank’s refreshed donor search is designed to make choosing a donor more manageable, with filters, toggle on/off options, clearer comparisons and tools to help you save, organise and revisit.
You don’t need to have every answer before you begin. Start with the criteria that matter most to you, explore the information available and give yourself time to consider what feels right.
For more information, visit California Cryobank. You can also explore our guide to finding a sperm donor in 2026 for more on the updated search experience.
