'My job at UK's newest sperm bank makes for interesting conversations'

A woman who works at the UK's newest sperm bank says no two days are the same - and has says talking about her job landed her her boyfriend. Hannah Staples, 28, is a Clinical Andrologist at the new Cryos International centre in Manchester.

It is the first UK location from the world’s largest sperm and egg bank Cryos International, which is based in Denmark. As a clinical andrologist, Hannah is an expert in men's reproductive health, dealing with issues like fertility, hormone levels, and sexual function.

And she says that makes for interesting conversations outside of her nine-to-five. Hannah said: “Discussing my work was actually how I started my first date with my now-partner. Can you imagine telling someone you’ve just met, you work in a sperm bank or a fertility clinic? He was like, ‘I’m sorry, what was that?’.

“Most people are shocked when I tell them what I do, a lot of people even ask me to repeat myself before asking a load of questions like ‘what does sperm look like?’.”

A typical day for Hannah consists of a wide range of duties. She said: “On a typical day you can find me in the lab or the reception, ready to greet donors and explain the process to them.

"In the lab, I ensure our centrifuges are set correctly and begin the process of freezing and thawing samples to see if they reach our donor criteria. After this, I then log into all the porn platforms and set up the VR headsets for the day.”

Hannah said: “People think it’s seedy, one-hundred percent, expecting to be ushered into a dark room. But, that’s not the case at all. We’re committed to helping people achieve their dreams of starting their own family.

“Whether you’ve donated before or are shaking with nerves before your first appointment, we’re here to put everyone at ease and provide all the support and information you could require.”

The centre is welcoming applications from men of all ethnic backgrounds between the ages of 18 and 45 at a time of unprecedented demand for fertility services in the UK, which has seen births from sperm donation triple since the turn of the millennium - despite donation numbers being at an all-time low.