OBJECTIVETo improve the reception and recruitment of sperm donors in sperm banks in China, and solve the problem of insufficiency in sperm donation.

METHODSWe reviewed the recruitment of 1 145 men for sperm donation in the Human Sperm Bank of Hubei Province from September 2011 to April 2012, analyzed the reasons for those not included, and interviewed those included but unwilling to donate sperm.

RESULTSAmong the 1 145 recruits, 551 (48.12%) were students and 594 (51.88%) were other individuals. After the first semen screening, 503 (43.93%) quitted, including 202 students (36.66% of the students recruited) and 301 others (50.67% of the other individuals recruited). After the second semen screening, 432 (37.73%) were excluded, and another 45 (3.93%) excluded after laboratory examination, including 16 cases of mycoplasma positive. Totally, 165 recruits (14.41%) passed the semen screening and laboratory examination, but only 144 of them (87.27%) completed, while the other 21 (12.73%) failed to complete the whole donation process.

CONCLUSIONLow rates of screening qualification and donation process completion are common problems in human sperm banks. The rate of qualified sperm donors can be increased and the operational cost of the human sperm bank can be reduced by enabling the recruits to accomplish the whole donation process. Explanation at the reception, later interview with the recruits, and donors' trust in the sperm bank play important roles in raising the completion rate of sperm donation process.