At Sussex Sperm Bank we strive to make the process of selecting your donor as seamless and stress free as possible. Our aim is to ensure you are aware of all the aspects of the process. From experience we are fully aware of how everyone feels they are asking us a question “we have never been asked before” – rest assured this is definitely not the case – all we would say is – never feel you are the first person to ask a question, after all we are here to put your mind at ease.
Questions about the Family Slot is one of the most frequently asked question, so we hope that you will find all the information you need here in this Blog.
What is a Family Slot & Why do I need one?
In the UK donors are only permitted to help create up to 10 families, not including their own. These regulations have been created and are overseen by our regulatory body the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).
In order to adhere to these guidelines as well as to keep things fare to all patients a family slot must be purchased if you wish to buy samples from your chosen donor and use them for treatment. The purchase of a family slot and samples goes hand in hand as you cannot have treatment without both elements being purchased.
When should I get one?
Family slot can ONLY be purchased at the same time as samples. The donors you see on our website all have available family slots and vials. There is also a handy tool which displays how many available family slots a donor has remaining!
When you place your order, you will be prompted to “add” a family slot to your basket first before being able to add the number of vials you would like to purchase.
How long do I have the slot?
Our Family Slots have no specific timeframe – so it is “provisionally” yours all the while you have vials and/or embryos in storage. Once a birth has been reported you will then become one of the confirmed donor families. That being said it is important to be aware that should you have no samples and/or embryos in storage and no reported birth (the clinic will update us if you do not) the family slot will be automatically released. It is therefore imperative that you keep in touch with us if you wish to purchase more samples and continue to use the slot. We do not send out reminders that slots are going to be released.
How much does a family slot cost?
For a one-off fee of £500 plus VAT you will be allocated a family slot with your specific donor. There is no need to extend the slot as this is yours whilst you are having treatment and provided you have samples and/or embryos in storage. Please refer to “How long do I have the slot?”
What happens to my family slot after I have a baby?
Once we have a verified report from your clinic of a birth your family slot will be updated from “Provisional” to “Confirmed”. Your clinic will also inform the HFEA. If you decide to have treatment in the future (sibling treatment) any siblings of your first born will be part of this family and you do not need to purchase a new family slot. We would at this point we would advise that the availability of sibling samples is not guaranteed and are subject to availability.
If my treatment is unsuccessful or I choose to have treatment with another donor, can I transfer my family slot?
Family slots are not transferrable, as the price is specific to the donor family slot that you have been allocated. The price is per family slot per donor and not per patient.
Hopefully we have been able to answer some of the questions you had.
If you would like to contact us, you can do so by:
If you would like to contact us, you can do so by: