"A big episode about sperm". How the sperm donation industry works

Yuri Dud released a special episode featuring Avtandil Chigavadze — a molecular geneticist who, in 2011, established Russia’s first independent sperm and egg bank and now works at one of the world’s largest banks in the United States. This conversation explores how science helps people cope with infertility, why the “biological clock” really is ticking, and how the political context in Russia has turned reproductive medicine into a dangerous profession.

How a sperm bank works: from 17 vials of blood to liquid nitrogen

Becoming a donor is more than just “getting tested.” The process begins with a comprehensive medical examination: the first time, the candidate undergoes 17 test tubes of blood for genetic, infectious disease, and biochemical testing. In the U.S., a donor receives approximately $100, in Russia—about 3,000–4,000 rubles.

The process is as follows:

• Purification (Sperm washing): The resulting material is processed through a centrifuge and special media to separate live, active sperm from dead cells and hormones.
• Freezing: The purified material is mixed with a cryoprotectant and placed in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -196°C. Life can be preserved in this state for decades: Avtandil mentions a case in which a healthy child was born from sperm that had been frozen 22 years earlier.
• Control: The lab has a policy in place Zero tolerance: If there is even the slightest doubt regarding the labeling or a violation of the protocol, the sample is destroyed.

Why Are LGBT Couples the “Most Pleasant” Clients for Geneticists?

Chigavadze identifies three main groups of sperm bank clients: infertile couples, single women, and women with non-traditional sexual orientations. According to him, the last category is the most pleasant to work with from a psychological standpoint.

While for infertile couples, turning to a donor is often a “painful choice” and a last resort, for LGBT couples it is a fully conscious and deliberate step toward parenthood. In such families, there is no sense of tragedy or “inadequacy” stemming from the inability to conceive a child on their own; they embark on this journey toward a new life with joy and a clear plan.

As a rule, such LGBT couples try to find a donor who would be looks a lot like one of her partners...so that the child can fit in harmoniously with the family.

In the U.S. and Russia, donors fill out detailed questionnaires covering everything from hobbies and religious beliefs to favorite music. You can choose your height or eye color, but with some caveats: genetics is about probability, not an order from an online store. To preserve the donor’s anonymity while still giving an idea of their appearance, their childhood photos.

Chigavadze openly refers to his work as "positive eugenics" — the science of how to help bring into the world people with superior traits and free of hereditary diseases.

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Approaches to organ donation for the LGBT community in Russia and the United States differ radically not only in terms of ethics but also in terms of the law

In the United States, there is a concept "targeted donation". A couple (including same-sex couples) may bring along an acquaintance or friend who is willing to serve as the child’s biological father. The bank covers the full cost of his medical examination and the technical procedures, providing the test tubes specifically to that couple.

In Russia, however, such an arrangement is legally extremely complicated. The donor must follow the standard procedure for anonymous donors, including a six-month quarantine period for the donated material, and the legal rights and obligations between a “known” donor and the family are much less clearly defined by law.

"Pride" in Denver 🏳️‍🌈

In stark contrast to the realities in Russia, Chigavadze recounts the story of his American sperm bank’s participation in the annual Pride parade in Denver. He describes this event not merely as a political act, but as "A celebration of life, joy, and love", in which everyone participates—from children to the elderly, regardless of sexual orientation.

The most memorable moment for the specialist was when he encountered people in the crowd: women would approach the sperm bank’s branded bicycle and shout: "And I have a child with you! How cool!". For Chigavadze, this is his main motivation—to help make people happy.

The Pavel Durov Case: Why Is Having 100 Children Irresponsible?

Avtandil describes Pavel Durov’s recent statement—that he has more than 100 biological children in 12 countries—as irresponsible.

What are the main risks:

1. Incest: In isolated communities or small towns, there is a risk that a brother and sister who are blood relatives will meet and start a family without knowing they are related.

2. Genetic mutations: Every person has “lethal” mutations. If a single donor passes on their gene to dozens of children, the risk of serious diseases developing in the population increases dramatically.

Modern banks have strict limits in place: for example, no more than 25 families per donor in the United States, or a limited number of children per certain number of residents, as was the case in the Russian Federation.

"The Reproductive Specialists' Case" in Russia: 17 Years for Their Work

One of the most somber topics of conversation was the criminal prosecution of Russian doctors. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign parents were unable to pick up their children—born to surrogate mothers in Russia—on time. After the death of one of the infants (due to a birth injury), a case was opened alleging “child trafficking.”

As a result Embryologists, gynecologists, and couriers were sentenced to 16 to 17.5 years in a maximum-security prison. Avtandil emphasizes that the doctors were simply doing their jobs (IVF, delivering babies), which was completely legal at the time. Surrogacy for foreigners is now completely banned in Russia.

Fertility Window: Is the Clock Really Ticking?

Biologically speaking, the phrase “the clock is ticking” is true.

For women: A woman’s egg supply is established even before birth. By age 40, fertility drops sharply, and the risk of genetic disorders (such as Down syndrome) increases tenfold: from 1 in 1,000 at age 20 to 1 in 15 at age 45.

The perfect solution: Egg freezing at ages 20–25. This is a form of “biological insurance” that allows you to put time on hold.

For men: Age is also important, but not as critical. However, overheating (heated seats, saunas) and unhealthy habits directly kill sperm.

A Child with Three Parents and the Future

Modern science makes it possible to assemble a human being, literally, like a construction set. Technology nuclear transplants (which is considered a form of cloning) allows a child to be born with "three parents": genes from the father and mother, plus healthy mitochondria from a female donor. The first such child was born in Ukraine.

Why is this important? Infertility is called the “plague of the 21st century”—one in five couples in developed countries faces difficulties conceiving. For Avtandil Chigavadze, his work is a way to “sell happiness.” Over the course of his career, he has helped bring thousands of children into the world and believes that Strength lies in the ability to apply knowledge correctly.

If you'd like to learn more about how to prepare for parenthood and which genetic tests you should consider, you can check out the full version of the interview.