Practical guides · Treatment and donors

Can a single woman use donor sperm? Country by country

In many countries, a clinic may treat a single woman with donor sperm. In others, the law allows only married couples, and in some, insemination outside a clinic is a crime. This page gives the rule in 74 countries. Where we can, each rule names its law, and we say plainly what we could not confirm.

Checked November 202674 countries

This guide is published on the website of a man who offers to help a woman have a child (see the two options). The guide gives the law as it is, whether or not that suits his offer. How these guides are written.

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For each country, the first sentence answers the main question: can a clinic treat a single woman with donor sperm? Then, where we found a clear rule, the entry says whether she can bring a donor she knows, whether insemination outside a clinic is a crime, and who is the legal father.

Some countries punish sex outside marriage, or a pregnancy outside marriage. Where this can affect a single woman, the entry says so.

Africa

Algeria: a clinic may treat only a legally married couple, with the husband’s sperm and the wife’s egg (Law 18-11, art. 371). All sperm donation is banned, with 10 to 20 years in prison (arts 374, 435). Insemination at home with donor sperm may also be a crime under this law (arts 434, 435).
Benin: a clinic may use donor sperm only for a married couple, so in effect it cannot treat a single woman (Children’s Code, Law 2015-08, arts 3, 54 to 58). Treatment is allowed only for a medical reason such as infertility, and every other form of assisted reproduction is banned (arts 52, 60). Using it outside these cases can bring 5 to 10 years in prison (art. 354). The law is written broadly enough that it may also cover insemination at home, but we found no case (arts 51, 53).
Cameroon: the law allows treatment only for a couple, a man and a woman, married or living together (Law 2022/014, arts 2, 3). Donors must be anonymous, and you cannot choose a named donor (arts 8, 28). Sperm may be collected and given only in approved centres (art. 25). Insemination with fresh donor sperm that was not tested first is a crime, with 3 to 10 years in prison (arts 46, 57).
DR Congo: we found no law on fertility treatment, so each clinic decides who it treats. Clinics in Kinshasa speak of treating “couples”. Sex with a married person is a crime for both partners, with 6 months to 1 year in prison (Family Code, art. 467). The law says a child born outside marriage must be linked to a legal father within 12 months (art. 614).
Egypt: doctors may use only a husband’s sperm, under their ethics code (Ministry of Health Decree 238 of 2003, art. 45). The same code bans sperm banks (art. 46). We could not confirm whether courts use the law on acts against modesty against unmarried couples (Penal Code, art. 279). A draft fertility law went to the Justice Ministry in 2024, but parliament had not debated it by February 2026.
Ethiopia: since May 2025, a clinic may treat only a married couple, with their own eggs and sperm, and all donation is banned (Proclamation 1362/2024, arts 28, 29). A health professional who breaks these rules faces 5 years in prison (art. 55(11)). Sex between two unmarried adults is not a crime, but sex with a married man is a crime for a partner who knows he is married, if his wife complains (Criminal Code, art. 652(1)).
Gabon: we found no law on fertility treatment, and no clinic in Gabon is known to offer donor sperm. A January 2024 press report describes the public fertility unit in Libreville as serving couples, and in 2022 its director said sperm donation was not yet done in Gabon. We could not confirm whether the unit accepts a single woman. Adultery is reported to be no longer a crime since the 2019 Penal Code.
Ghana: there is no law on fertility treatment yet, so each clinic decides case by case. A 2012 press report described women bringing a donor they chose to clinics in Accra. A bill on fertility treatment was still not law in October 2026.
Kenya: there is no law on fertility treatment yet, and a 2025 press report says clinics in Nairobi treat single women with donor sperm. The same report says donors are anonymous in practice. A bill on fertility treatment passed the National Assembly on 11 November 2025; in August 2026 it was still before the Senate.
Madagascar: the law allows fertility treatment only for infertility or to avoid passing on a serious disease, and says nothing about marriage or donor sperm (Health Code, Law 2011-002, art. 271 bis). We could not confirm what clinics do for a single woman. Sex with a married man is a crime for both partners if his wife complains, with a fine or 3 months to 1 year in prison (Penal Code, arts 336 to 338).
Mali: the law allows treatment only for a couple legally married for at least 1 year (Law 2016-066, art. 4, as amended in 2025). All sperm donation is banned (art. 17). Insemination at home with donor sperm would also break this law (arts 6, 13, 22). Sex with a married person is a crime for both partners if the spouse complains, with 2 years in prison (Penal Code 2024, arts 326-2 to 326-4).
Morocco: the law allows treatment only for a married man and woman, with their own eggs and sperm (Law 47-14, art. 12). All donation of eggs or sperm is banned, with 10 to 20 years in prison (arts 5, 40). Insemination at home with donor sperm may also be forbidden by this law (arts 1, 2, 42). Sex between a man and a woman who are not married is a crime, with 1 month to 1 year in prison (Penal Code, art. 490).
Nigeria: there is no federal law on fertility treatment, so each clinic decides. Donors are not regulated: a 2022 press report describes anonymous donors and donors who are a friend or relative. For Muslims in several northern states, Sharia penal codes make sex outside marriage a crime, and a pregnancy alone can count as proof. A bill that would regulate IVF passed its second reading in the Senate on 21 July 2026.
Senegal: the law gives couples the right to fertility treatment and says nothing about single women (Law 2005-18, art. 6). Each clinic decides who it treats. We found no rule on donors. Sex with a married person is a crime for both partners if the spouse reports it, punished by a fine (Penal Code, arts 329 to 331).
South Africa: a clinic may treat a single woman with donor sperm (Regulations Relating to Artificial Fertilisation, 2012, reg. 1). A known donor is allowed if you both confirm in writing that you know each other and both have a psychological assessment (reg. 7(j)). Insemination is allowed only at an authorised clinic, and breaking these rules is a crime (regs 9, 21). The donor is not the legal father (Children’s Act, s. 40(3)), but a known donor can still ask a court for parental rights (s. 23).
Togo: the law gives “every individual” the right to fertility treatment, within medical ethics and “family morals” (Law 2007-005, art. 40). We could not confirm whether clinics treat single women in practice. We could not confirm the rules on donors. Insemination outside an approved clinic may be a crime (Penal Code 2015, art. 838).
Tunisia: the law allows treatment only for two married people, with their own eggs and sperm (Law 2001-93, arts 3, 4). Donation of eggs or sperm is banned, with up to 5 years in prison (arts 14, 31). Insemination at home with donor sperm may also be a crime under this law (arts 2, 31). Sex with a married person is a crime for both partners if the spouse complains, with 5 years in prison (Penal Code, art. 236).
Uganda: we found no law on fertility treatment, so each clinic decides. A 2026 press report says many clients of the sperm bank at Makerere University Hospital in Kampala are women who want donor sperm without a relationship. We could not confirm whether clinics accept a donor you know.

The Americas

Argentina: any adult can be treated at a clinic, and public and private health cover must pay for it (Law 26.862, arts 7, 8). Donor sperm must come from a registered sperm bank (Decree 956/2013, art. 8). We could not confirm whether a donor you know can give sperm through a bank for you. At a clinic, the donor has no legal link to the child (Civil and Commercial Code, art. 575).
Brazil: a single woman can be treated at a clinic (Federal Council of Medicine, Resolution 2.320/2022: a doctors’ rule, not a law). The donor must stay anonymous, so you cannot use a donor you know at a clinic (section IV.2). Birth registration rules say a donor is not a legal parent of a child born after clinic treatment (CNJ Provimento 149/2023, art. 512).
Canada: a single woman can be treated at a clinic, and federal law forbids unfair treatment because of marital status (Assisted Human Reproduction Act, s. 2(e)). A donor you know is allowed at a clinic, and in Quebec donors cannot be anonymous since 6 June 2025. Funding depends on the province: Ontario funds inseminations but not the sperm, and Quebec funds up to 6 donor inseminations. In British Columbia, a donor is not a legal parent, even after insemination at home (Family Law Act, ss. 20, 24).
Chile: single women are treated at clinics in practice, although no law says who may be treated. A press report from February 2026 describes a single woman treated in the public Fonasa programme, who paid for the donor sperm herself. After clinic treatment, the donor cannot claim to be the father (Civil Code, art. 182, as amended by Law 21.400 in 2021). We could not confirm whether this also covers insemination at home.
Colombia: there is no law on fertility treatment, and the 1998 decree on fertility clinics does not require the woman to be married (Decree 1546/1998, art. 2). We could not confirm whether clinics treat single women in practice. The decree allows an anonymous or a known donor, but we could not confirm that clinics accept a known donor. Public health insurance does not pay for fertility treatment (Constitutional Court, T-355/2024).
Ecuador: there is no law on fertility treatment, and a 2025 press report says the country’s largest fertility clinic treats single women with donor sperm from sperm banks. A 2023 press report quotes a gynaecologist who says donor insemination is also for single women who want to be mothers. We found no rule on donors, and we could not confirm who is the legal father.
Mexico: the Supreme Court ruled in 2017 that single people must also have access to fertility treatment (Amparo en Revisión 619/2017). There is no federal law on it, and we could not confirm whether clinics treat single women in practice. We found no federal rule against a known donor, but we did not check the rules of each state. Each state’s own code decides who is the legal father, and we could not confirm these rules.
Peru: the law gives every person the right to fertility treatment, as long as the woman who carries the child is also its genetic mother (Law 26842, art. 7). It says nothing about donor sperm or single women. We could not confirm whether clinics treat a single woman with donor sperm.
United States: no federal law limits who a clinic may treat, and the doctors’ society ASRM is reported to ask clinics to treat everyone equally, whatever their marital status. A known (“directed”) donor is allowed, with the same tests as any donor (21 CFR 1271.90). Who is the legal father depends on the state. In states that adopted the 2017 Uniform Parentage Act, such as Vermont, a donor is not a parent, even after insemination at home, unless he signed an agreement to be one. Some older state laws protect a donor only if the sperm went through a doctor.
Venezuela: there is no law on fertility treatment, and a 2023 press report quotes a fertility specialist who says donor sperm is an option for single women where the clinic has it. In August 2026 the Supreme Tribunal noted that the country has no specific law on assisted reproduction (judgment 338). We could not confirm whether a known donor is allowed, or who is the legal father.

Asia

Cambodia: we found no law in Cambodia on whether a clinic may treat a single woman. Clinic listings say they do not accept single women. A 2016 Ministry of Health order bans surrogacy and is reported to ban paid sperm donation; we could not read its full text.
China (mainland): clinics in mainland China may not give assisted reproduction to a single woman (Ministry of Health rules on assisted reproduction, 2003). A clause in Jilin province that would allow it has not been applied. Donor sperm comes only from approved sperm banks, and the donor is anonymous. No person may collect or supply sperm without approval (Measures on Human Sperm Banks, art. 13); we found no penalty that names a private person.
Hong Kong: Hong Kong law says no person may give a reproductive technology procedure, including artificial insemination, to people who are not married to each other (Human Reproductive Technology Ordinance, Cap. 561, s.15(5)). Breaking this rule is a crime, reported to carry a fine of up to HK$25,000 and up to 6 months in prison on a first conviction. Paying for sperm or eggs is banned (s.16). We could not confirm whether the law also covers insemination at home.
India: clinics in India can treat a single woman aged 21 to 50 with donor sperm (ART (Regulation) Act 2021, ss.2(1)(u), 21(g)). The sperm must come from a registered bank, and the donor’s identity is kept confidential (ss.21(b), 21(e), 27(1)). Insemination outside a registered clinic is not clearly lawful: no one may provide ART “in any form” without registration (ss.2(1)(a), 15(1)). The fine is ₹5 to 10 lakh, and a repeat offence can bring 3 to 8 years in prison (ss.33(2), 34).
Indonesia: clinics in Indonesia may treat only a lawfully married couple, with their own sperm and eggs (Health Law 17/2023, art. 58). Sperm donation of any kind is banned (Ministry of Health Regulation 2/2025, art. 45(5)). Since 2 January 2026, sex between two people not married to each other can bring up to 1 year in prison or a fine (Criminal Code, Law 1/2023, art. 411). A case starts only on a complaint by a spouse, or by the parent or child of an unmarried person; Aceh has its own law (Qanun 6/2014).
Japan: Japan has no law on who a clinic may treat, but the doctors’ guideline is reported to limit donor insemination to legally married couples (Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology). Breaking the guideline is not a crime, but a clinic can lose its accreditation. We could not confirm whether the guideline allows a known donor. A new bill outline from May 2026 is reported to open treatment to unmarried couples; we could not confirm whether it would cover single women.
Malaysia: doctors in Malaysia may offer assisted reproduction only to legally married couples (Malaysian Medical Council guideline V2/2025, s.2). Donating sperm, eggs or embryos is prohibited for every patient (s.5). For Muslims, sex outside marriage is a Syariah offence: up to RM5,000, 3 years in prison and 6 strokes (Federal Territories Act 559, s.23(2)). A pregnancy outside marriage counts as first evidence against the woman (s.23(3)); each state has its own law.
Nepal: Nepal has no law on fertility treatment, and the Health Ministry’s 2025 standards for infertility services define a patient as “a person or a couple”, with no marriage required (section 2). The donor must stay anonymous, so a known donor is not possible at a clinic (Schedule 9). One clinic says on its own website that it treats single women with donor sperm. A child born in Nepal to a Nepali mother whose father is not identified can get citizenship through her, after she declares under oath that the father cannot be identified (Constitution, art. 11(5)).
Pakistan: clinics in Pakistan may use only a married couple’s own sperm and eggs, so they cannot treat a single woman with donor sperm (Federal Shariat Court ruling of 2017, as reported in the press). We found no law on fertility treatment, and we could not read the judgment. Sex outside marriage is a crime, with up to 5 years in prison and a fine (Penal Code, s.496B). Insemination is not intercourse, but a pregnancy outside marriage could lead to an accusation.
Singapore: clinics in Singapore may not perform IUI or other assisted reproduction on a woman who is not legally married (Ministry of Health FAQ on the Assisted Reproduction Service Regulations 2023, Q15). Donor sperm is used only for a married couple with a medical reason, not for social reasons (reg. 37(1)(b), quoted in Q36). The donors listed are anonymous, from the three public sperm banks (Q47).
South Korea: South Korea has no law against a clinic treating a single woman with donor sperm; the Health Ministry called it “technically not illegal”. But the doctors’ guideline limits donor sperm to married or common-law couples, so clinics refuse single women (Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2021; reported still in place in May 2026). We could not confirm whether a known donor is allowed. The Bioethics and Safety Act bans making a profit from sperm donation.
Taiwan: clinics in Taiwan may treat only a husband and wife (Assisted Reproduction Act, arts 2, 11). The donor must be anonymous: a clinic may not use sperm from a donor the couple asks for (art. 13). Buying or selling sperm for profit can bring up to 2 years in prison (art. 31). A government bill of 11 December 2025 would admit unmarried women aged 18 or over; committee review began on 16 July 2026 and is not finished.
Thailand: clinics in Thailand may inseminate only a woman who has a lawful husband or registered spouse, so they cannot treat a single woman (ART Act B.E. 2558 (2015), s.19). A draft amendment put to public hearing in July 2026 keeps this rule. Only a doctor may place sperm in a woman by any means other than sex (ss.3, 35). The penalty is up to 10 years in prison or ฿200,000 (s.50); we found no court case on insemination at home.
Vietnam: since 1 October 2025, clinics in Vietnam can treat a single woman with donor sperm on request, with no medical reason needed (Decree 207/2025/ND-CP, art. 3(4)). The donor is always anonymous, and one donor helps only one woman or couple (art. 3(2), 3(3)). Insemination with donor sperm must take place at a facility licensed for IVF (art. 6(1)). The woman is the child’s mother, and the donor has no legal link to the child (Law on Marriage and Family 2014, art. 93).

Europe

Austria: in Austria, clinics may not treat a single woman: treatment is only for married, registered or cohabiting couples (FMedG, § 2(1)). Donor sperm is allowed for female couples, not for a woman alone (§ 3(2)). Only a doctor may do an insemination, and anyone else risks a fine (§§ 4, 22). We could not confirm whether this covers a woman who inseminates herself at home.
Belarus: in Belarus, a single woman with a medical reason can be treated at a clinic, but only with an anonymous donor’s sperm (Law No. 341-З, arts 6, 24(2)). A known donor is not allowed for an unmarried woman (arts 9(2), 24(2)).
Belgium: Belgian clinics may treat a single woman who asks before she turns 46 (Law of 6 July 2007, art. 4). A known donor is allowed if the donor and the woman agree (art. 57). A donor through a clinic cannot be made the legal father (art. 56). In September 2024 the Constitutional Court ruled that the anonymity rules must change by 30 June 2027 at the latest.
Czechia: in Czechia, clinics may treat only a woman and a man who ask together, so a single woman cannot be treated (Act 373/2011, § 6(1)). Donors are anonymous (§ 3(4)(c)). A Health Ministry bill for single women went out for comment in June 2026, but two other ministries objected in October 2026; we could not confirm what happened next.
Denmark: in Denmark, clinics may treat a single woman up to age 45 (Act on assisted reproduction, § 6). A donor may be anonymous or known (Order 1452/2025, § 16). A known donor at a clinic is the legal father only if he agreed in writing to the treatment and to being the father (Children Act, § 27 b). A donor in an insemination without a health professional is the legal father (§ 27 c).
Finland: Finnish clinics may treat a single woman (Act 1237/2006, § 2). A known donor is possible, and the child can learn the donor’s identity at 18. A clinic donor is the legal father only if he agreed to be (Parenthood Act 775/2022, § 4). A donor in a home insemination can be confirmed as the legal father (§ 4).
France: in France, clinics have treated single women since the bioethics law of August 2021, up to the woman’s 45th birthday (Law 2021-1017). The donor is anonymous to her (Public Health Code, art. L1211-5), but the adult child can ask for the donor’s identity. Insemination at home with donor sperm is a crime, with up to 2 years in prison (Penal Code, arts 511-12, 511-22). It is reported that a donor through the official system cannot be the legal father (Civil Code, art. 342-9).
Georgia: in Georgia, the law allows donor insemination for a single woman, with her written consent (Law on Health Care, art. 141). The article on IVF speaks only of couples (art. 143). The law does not require the donor to be anonymous, but clinic rules may differ. The donor has no right to be recognised as the father (art. 141).
Germany: in Germany, single women can be treated privately: we found no law that limits treatment to couples. Every donor through a sperm bank is registered, and the child can ask for the donor’s identity from age 16 (Sperm Donor Register Act, § 10). We could not confirm whether a woman may bring a known donor to a clinic. A donor from a registered bank used at a clinic cannot be made the legal father, but a private donor can (Civil Code, § 1600d).
Greece: in Greece, a clinic may treat a single woman up to age 54, with her consent given before a notary (Civil Code, art. 1456; Law 3305/2005, art. 4). Since 2022 she may choose a named or an anonymous donor (Civil Code, art. 1460). Insemination outside a licensed clinic is a crime, with at least 3 months in prison (Law 3305/2005, art. 26(13)). A clinic donor cannot be the legal father, even if he is named (art. 1460).
Ireland: in Ireland, a clinic may treat a single woman aged 21 or over (Children and Family Relationships Act 2015, ss 9, 25). Anonymous donors are banned in clinics, and we could not confirm that a clinic accepts a donor the woman brings herself (s. 24). A donor at a clinic is not the legal parent (s. 5(5)). The Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024, signed in July 2024, is mostly not yet in force.
Italy: in Italy, clinics may not treat a single woman: only couples of a man and a woman, married or living together, may be treated (Law 40/2004, art. 5). The Constitutional Court upheld this in May 2025 (judgment no. 69). A citizens’ bill to change it passed 50,000 signatures in October 2026 and was due to go to Parliament in mid-November 2026.
Kazakhstan: in Kazakhstan, the law allows an unmarried adult woman to have assisted reproduction, if a medical organisation confirms her health (Marriage and Family Code, art. 58). Health Ministry rules list having no partner as a reason for insemination with donor sperm (Order ҚР ДСМ-272/2020, para. 54). We could not confirm whether a known donor is allowed; the rules say patients choose donors from a description of their physical traits (para. 21).
Netherlands: Dutch clinics treat single women, and we found no law that limits treatment to couples. Donors cannot be anonymous, and a known donor can be registered at a clinic (donor data law of 2004). The child can ask for the donor’s name at 16. We could not confirm the age limit or who is the legal father.
Norway: in Norway, approved clinics may treat a single woman who lives alone, up to age 46 (Biotechnology Act, §§ 2-2, 2-3 a). The doctor chooses the donor, so a known donor is not allowed (§ 2-10). The child can learn the donor’s identity at 15 (§ 2-7). A donor in treatment at a clinic cannot be made the legal father (Children Act, § 9).
Poland: in Poland, IVF is closed to a single woman: a husband or male partner must consent (Act on infertility treatment of 2015, art. 20). The law sets no partner rule for insemination, but a large clinic says it treats only couples. We could not confirm any clinic that gives donor insemination to a single woman. Donors are anonymous, and the doctor chooses the donor (art. 30).
Portugal: in Portugal, any woman can be treated at a clinic, whatever her marital status (Law 32/2006, art. 6.1). A child can learn the donor’s name at 18 (art. 15); we could not confirm whether a woman may bring a known donor. Insemination outside an authorised centre can be punished with up to 3 years in prison (art. 34), and the national regulator calls home insemination a crime. A clinic donor is not the legal father (art. 21).
Russia: in Russia, a single woman has a legal right to treatment at a clinic (Federal Law 323-FZ, art. 55). A donor may be known or anonymous, aged 18 to 35 (Order 803n, para. 54). We could not confirm who is the legal father when the donor is known.
Spain: in Spain, any woman over 18 can be treated, whatever her marital status (Law 14/2006, art. 6.1). The donor is always anonymous, and the medical team chooses the donor (arts 5.5, 6.5). A clinic donor is not a legal parent, even if his identity is revealed (art. 8.3).
Sweden: in Sweden, a single woman can be treated at a public hospital or a licensed clinic (Genetic Integrity Act 2006:351, ch. 6, §§ 2, 3). The health board says she must have lived without a partner for at least a year. Anonymous donation is not possible, and a known donor is possible in some cases, through the clinic. A donor through a Swedish clinic is not the legal father, but a donor at home can be (Children and Parents Code, ch. 1, § 5).
Switzerland: in Switzerland, clinics may not treat a single woman: donor sperm may be used only for married couples (FMedG, art. 3(3)). Insemination without a licence from the canton can be punished with up to 3 years in prison (arts 8, 34). We could not confirm whether this covers a woman who inseminates herself at home.
Ukraine: in Ukraine, an adult woman has a right to treatment on medical grounds, but we could not confirm the exact wording of the law on single women (Civil Code, art. 281). Sources disagree on a known donor: Ministry of Health rules allow one (Order 787, para. 4.7), but in 2025 the national bar association wrote that the law allows only anonymous donors. A new law on assisted reproduction (draft No. 13683, August 2025) is still before parliament. The country is at war.
United Kingdom: in the United Kingdom, clinics licensed by the HFEA treat single women (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, s. 13(5)). A known donor is allowed at a clinic, with the same health checks and tests as any donor. A donor at a licensed clinic is not the legal father. In a home insemination, the HFEA says that for a single woman, the donor “will be considered the legal parent”.

The Middle East

Iran: clinics in Iran cannot treat a single woman with donor sperm: the only law on donor treatment gives donated embryos to married couples, who must apply together to a court (Embryo Donation Law 2003, arts 1, 2). No law covers sperm donation, and a 2007 paper from Iran’s main fertility research institute says treatment cannot be offered to single mothers. Sex outside marriage is a crime, punished by 100 lashes for an unmarried person (Islamic Penal Code 2013, arts 221, 230). Insemination is not intercourse under the code, but a pregnancy outside marriage can bring suspicion.
Israel: clinics in Israel can treat a single woman with donor sperm, as they have since 1988. The public health basket covers her treatment, and a hospital may not refuse her because she is unmarried. The donor must be anonymous, unless the donor formally agrees to co-parent with the mother (Supreme Court, 2019, as reported). Hospitals can also import sperm from foreign banks whose donors are not anonymous.
Jordan: clinics in Jordan may use only the husband’s sperm, with the written consent of both spouses, so they cannot treat a single woman (Medical and Health Liability Law No. 25 of 2018, art. 13). We could not confirm the penalty for breaking this rule. Amnesty International reported in 2019 that sex outside marriage can bring 1 to 3 years in prison, and that a woman’s male guardian can bring the complaint. It also reported that women pregnant outside marriage can be forcibly separated from their newborn babies.
Lebanon: the law in Lebanon allows fertility treatment only for a married couple, with their written consent, and says nothing about donor sperm or a woman on her own (Medical Ethics Law, art. 30, as amended by Law 240 of 2012; we could not confirm the exact date). We could not confirm whether any clinic treats a single woman. Sex between two unmarried adults is not a crime. If the man is married, his wife can bring an adultery complaint, and an unmarried partner faces 1 month to 1 year in prison (Penal Code, art. 487 as amended in 2014, and art. 489).
Saudi Arabia: clinics in Saudi Arabia may treat only a married couple, and proof of the marriage is required (Law of Fertilization, Utero-Fetal and Infertility Treatment Units, 2004, art. 4). Only the husband’s sperm may be used (art. 5). Anyone who places sperm other than her husband’s in a woman can face up to 5 years in prison, a fine of SAR 200,000 to 500,000, or both (art. 32). The courts can punish sex outside marriage under Sharia; there is no written penal code article, and we could not confirm the details.
Turkey: clinics in Turkey may treat only married couples (Regulation on Assisted Reproduction, 2014, art. 19(2)). The regulation allows only the woman’s egg and her husband’s sperm (art. 4(ğ)), and legal commentary says donor sperm is banned. A 2017 legal paper describes the regulation as allowing a criminal complaint against the woman and the donor, even when a clinic abroad treats her (Annex 17(5)). Another legal commentary, from 2025, says only clinics are punished, and we found no case of a woman prosecuted.
United Arab Emirates: UAE law is reported to allow treatment only for couples: married couples and, since 2023, unmarried non-Muslim couples (Federal Law 7/2019, amended by Decree-Law 17/2023). Donor sperm is reported to remain illegal for everyone (art. 9). Sex outside marriage is an offence with at least 6 months in prison, but a case starts only on a complaint by a husband or guardian (Federal Decree-Law 31/2021; we could not confirm the article number). A child born outside marriage must be acknowledged by both parents and registered; we could not confirm the penalty.

Oceania

Australia: single women can be treated at clinics, but Western Australia limits access until a new law starts, expected in mid-2027 (Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Act 2025). A donor you know is allowed at a clinic, and the child can later learn who the donor is (at 18 in Victoria, at 16 in Western Australia). After clinic treatment the donor has no legal rights. In a private arrangement, the High Court reportedly found in 2019 that a known donor who acted as a parent was a legal parent (Masson v Parsons). Victoria treats single women free in its public programme.
New Zealand: clinics treat single women, under the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2004. A donor you know is allowed at a clinic, and every clinic donor must agree to be identified to the child as an adult. The Status of Children Act 1969 (s. 22) is reported to say that a donor is not the legal father, at a clinic or not. Public funding for single women starts only after 12 donor inseminations without a pregnancy.

Not on this page yet

For these countries, we found no reliable source on whether a clinic will treat a single woman, so we give no answer rather than a guess. They are Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Uzbekistan.

For Laos and Myanmar, see having a child on your own: the law.

If a clinic is closed to you

Some women travel to a country whose law lets a clinic treat them. Treatment abroad explains how to plan it, and tests to ask a donor for lists the checks a donor should have.

Where the law allows it, other women choose a known donor: a man they talk to and check before they decide. This website is one man’s offer. He is a healthy man in his forties. He helps a woman have a child in one of two ways: as a father who stays in touch from far away, or by artificial insemination, after which he steps away. His test results are on this website, with their dates. See the two options.

Checked November 2026. A guide only, not legal advice. Laws change, and a clinic can have its own rules: check the rules in force where you live, and ask the clinic to confirm in writing before you plan.

Sources

Algeria: Loi n° 18-11 du 2 juillet 2018 relative à la santé, arts 371, 374, 434, 435 (joradp.dz), checked November 2026.
Argentina: Ley 26.862, arts 7, 8 (InfoLeg); Decreto 956/2013, annex art. 8 (copy at casi.com.ar); Código Civil y Comercial de la Nación, arts 562, 575, checked November 2026.
Australia: WA Health, ART FAQs and “IVF and reproductive technology” (health.wa.gov.au); VARTA, “Considering donor conception” (varta.org.au); Reproductive Technology Council, donor-assisted conception (rtc.org.au); Better Health Channel, public fertility care services (betterhealth.vic.gov.au); Coleman Greig, summary of Masson v Parsons [2019] HCA 21 (colemangreig.com.au), checked November 2026.
Austria: Fortpflanzungsmedizingesetz (FMedG), §§ 2, 3, 4, 22 (ris.bka.gv.at), checked November 2026.
Belarus: Law No. 341-З of 7 January 2012 “О вспомогательных репродуктивных технологиях”, arts 6, 9, 24 (etalonline.by), checked November 2026.
Belgium: Loi du 6 juillet 2007, arts 4, 56, 57 (ejustice.just.fgov.be); Belga News Agency, on the Constitutional Court ruling of 26 September 2024 (belganewsagency.eu), checked November 2026.
Benin: Loi n° 2015-08 du 8 décembre 2015 portant Code de l’enfant en République du Bénin, arts 3, 51 to 58, 60, 354 (sgg.gouv.bj; the text was read from a scan), checked November 2026.
Brazil: Conselho Federal de Medicina, Resolução CFM 2.320/2022, sections II.1, IV.2 (cfm.org.br); Provimento CNJ 149/2023, art. 512 (copy at legjur.com), checked November 2026.
Cambodia: Ministry of Health prakas of 2016 on surrogacy (reported; full text not online); clinic directory listings, checked October 2026.
Cameroon: Loi n° 2022/014 du 14 juillet 2022 relative à la procréation médicalement assistée, arts 2, 3, 8, 25, 28, 46, 57 (droitcamerounais.info), checked October 2026.
Canada: Assisted Human Reproduction Act, S.C. 2004, c. 2, s. 2(e) (laws-lois.justice.gc.ca); Health Canada, guidance on the Safety of Sperm and Ova Regulations, ss. 30 to 40 (canada.ca); Government of Quebec, sperm and egg donation and Medically Assisted Reproduction Program pages (quebec.ca); Ontario Fertility Program (ontario.ca); British Columbia Family Law Act, ss. 20, 24 (bclaws.gov.bc.ca), checked November 2026.
Chile: Código Civil, art. 182, as amended by Ley 21.400 (bcn.cl); CIPER, report on assisted fertility in Fonasa, 26 February 2026 (ciperchile.cl), checked November 2026.
China (mainland): Ministry of Health, technical norms on human assisted reproduction (卫科教发〔2003〕176号), staff code item 13; Ministry of Health Order No. 14, art. 15; Measures on Human Sperm Banks (Ministry of Health Order No. 15), art. 13, checked October 2026.
Colombia: Decreto 1546 de 1998, art. 2 (minsalud.gov.co); Ministry of Health, Circular 030 of 4 September 2025 (normograma.invima.gov.co); Constitutional Court, judgment T-355/2024 (summary), checked November 2026.
Czechia: Zákon č. 373/2011 Sb., o specifických zdravotních službách, §§ 3, 6 (zakonyprolidi.cz); Radio Prague International, 8 October 2026 (english.radio.cz), checked November 2026.
Denmark: Lovbekendtgørelse nr. 902 af 23. august 2019 (Act on assisted reproduction), § 6; Bekendtgørelse nr. 1452 af 1. december 2025, § 16; Børneloven, LBK nr. 772 af 7. august 2019, §§ 27 b, 27 c (retsinformation.dk), checked November 2026.
DR Congo: Code de la famille, loi n° 87-010 as amended by loi n° 16/008 du 15 juillet 2016, arts 467, 614 (faolex.fao.org); Loi n° 18/035 du 13 décembre 2018 relative à la santé publique (extranet.who.int); JMTA Polyclinique, infertility and IVF service (jmtapolyclinique.org), checked November 2026.
Ecuador: Expreso, 20 June 2025 and 7 May 2023 (expreso.ec), checked November 2026.
Egypt: Code of medical ethics, Minister of Health and Population decree no. 238 of 2003, arts 45, 46 (ar.wikisource.org); Penal Code, Law no. 58 of 1937, art. 279 (manshurat.org); Al Manassa, 12 February 2026 (almanassa.com), checked November 2026.
Ethiopia: Health Service Administration and Regulation Proclamation No. 1362/2024, arts 28, 29, 55, Federal Negarit Gazette No. 45 of 20 May 2025 (text read in a private reproduction of the gazette, metaappz.com); Criminal Code 2004, art. 652 (WIPO Lex), checked November 2026.
Finland: Laki hedelmöityshoidoista 1237/2006, §§ 2, 16 (finlex.fi); Vanhemmuuslaki 775/2022, section 4, official English translation (finlex.fi); Felicitas Mehiläinen, page for single women (felicitas.mehilainen.fi), checked November 2026.
France: Loi n° 2021-1017 du 2 août 2021; Service-Public, “Procréation médicalement assistée (PMA)” (service-public.gouv.fr); Code de la santé publique, arts L1211-5, L1244-7 (french-business-law.com, English translation); Code civil, art. 342-9, as described in the 2025 notaries’ congress report (rapport-congresdesnotaires.fr), checked November 2026; Code pénal, arts 511-12, 511-22 (legifrance.gouv.fr); Ministry of Health, answer to written question no. 16978, 3 March 2020 (questions.assemblee-nationale.fr), checked October 2026.
Gabon: Le360 Afrique, 26 January 2024 (afrique.le360.ma); L’Union, 22 April 2022 (lunion-archives.org); Gabonreview, 28 February 2020 (gabonreview.com); WHO health legislation database (extranet.who.int), checked November 2026.
Georgia: Law of Georgia on Health Care, arts 141, 143 (matsne.gov.ge), checked November 2026.
Germany: Samenspenderregistergesetz, §§ 1, 10; Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, § 1600d (gesetze-im-internet.de); Erlanger Samenbank, “Rechtslage Singlefrauen” (erlanger-samenbank.de), checked November 2026.
Ghana: Daily Graphic, “We need regulatory framework for ART”, September 2025 (graphic.com.gh); MyJoyOnline, “Sperm selling business booming in Ghana”, 2 October 2012 (myjoyonline.com); Ghana News Agency, October 2025 and October 2026 (gna.org.gh), checked November 2026.
Greece: Civil Code, arts 1456, 1460, as rewritten by Law 4958/2022 (lawspot.gr, e-nomothesia.gr); Law 3305/2005, arts 2, 4, 26 (e-nomothesia.gr), checked November 2026.
Hong Kong: Human Reproductive Technology Ordinance (Cap. 561), ss.13 to 17, as summarised by the Community Legal Information Centre, University of Hong Kong (familyclic.hk), checked November 2026.
India: Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act 2021, ss.2(1)(a), 2(1)(u), 15(1), 21, 27, 33, 34 (Gazette of India, via PRS), checked October 2026.
Indonesia: Law No. 17 of 2023 on Health, art. 58; Permenkes No. 2 of 2025, art. 45 (kemkes.go.id); Law No. 1 of 2023 (Criminal Code), art. 411; Aceh Qanun No. 6 of 2014, checked October 2026.
Iran: Law on the Manner of Embryo Donation to Infertile Couples (قانون نحوه اهداء جنین به زوجین نابارور), 2003, arts 1, 2 (edalatsara.com, unofficial copy); Islamic Penal Code 2013, arts 221, 230, IHRDC English translation (iranhrdc.org); R. Omani Samani et al., International Journal of Fertility and Sterility 1(3), 2007 (doaj.org), checked November 2026.
Ireland: Children and Family Relationships Act 2015, ss 5, 9, 24, 25 (irishstatutebook.ie); Law Society Gazette, May 2020 (lawsociety.ie); Department of Health, press release on the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority (gov.ie), checked November 2026.
Israel: N. Mei-Ami, “Sperm Donation in Israel” (Jerusalem Center for Medical Ethics, medethics.org.il); Kol Zchut summary; Times of Israel, 14 February 2019 (timesofisrael.com); Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov), sperm import cost sheet, February 2025 (tasmc.org.il), checked November 2026.
Italy: Legge 19 febbraio 2004, n. 40, art. 5 (brocardi.it); Corte costituzionale, judgment no. 69 of 22 May 2025 (cortecostituzionale.it), as reported by Il Sole 24 Ore (ilsole24ore.com); Open, 28 October 2026 (open.online), checked November 2026.
Japan: Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology guideline, as described in earlier research, checked October 2026; Cronkite News, 29 April 2026 (cronkitenews.azpbs.org); Kumamoto Nichinichi (Kyodo), May 2026 (kumanichi.com); House of Councillors bill record, 217th session (sangiin.go.jp), checked November 2026.
Jordan: Medical and Health Liability Law No. 25 of 2018, art. 13, Official Gazette No. 5517 of 31 May 2018 (jordan-lawyer.com, unofficial consolidated copy); Amnesty International, press release, 23 October 2019 (amnesty.org), checked November 2026.
Kazakhstan: Marriage and Family Code No. 518-IV of 26 December 2011, art. 58; Health Ministry Order No. ҚР ДСМ-272/2020, paras 21, 54 (zakon.uchet.kz, unofficial consolidated copies), checked November 2026.
Kenya: Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill, 2022 (National Assembly Bills No. 61 of 2022), Senate Bills Digest, December 2025, and Senate programme for the week of 4 August 2026 (parliament.go.ke); Nation Media Group article, 22 March 2025 (read on mwananchi.co.tz), checked November 2026.
Lebanon: Medical Ethics Law (Law 288 of 1994), art. 30, as amended by Law 240 of 2012 (nodlb.org; the PDF shows its digits wrongly, so the numbers were read from the file title and the order of the paragraphs); Law No. 293 of 7 May 2014, art. 6 (Penal Code arts 487, 489), unofficial English translation by DCAF (justice.gov.lb), checked November 2026.
Madagascar: Loi n° 2011-002 du 15 juillet 2011 portant Code de la santé, art. 271 bis (faolex.fao.org); Code pénal, consolidated to 31 March 2005, arts 336 to 338 (faolex.fao.org), checked November 2026.
Malaysia: Malaysian Medical Council, Guideline “Medically Assisted Reproduction” V2/2025, ss.2, 5 (mmc.gov.my); Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 (Act 559), s.23 (lom.agc.gov.my), checked October 2026.
Mali: Loi n° 2016-066 du 30 décembre 2016 portant assistance médicale à la procréation, as amended by loi n° 2025-007 du 22 mai 2025, arts 4, 6, 13, 17, 22 (sgg-mali.ml); Loi n° 2024-027 du 13 décembre 2024 portant Code pénal, arts 326-2 to 326-4 (faolex.fao.org), checked November 2026.
Mexico: Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación, Amparo en Revisión 619/2017, official English summary (scjn.gob.mx), checked November 2026.
Morocco: Loi n° 47-14 relative à l’assistance médicale à la procréation (Dahir n° 1-19-50 of 11 March 2019), arts 1, 2, 5, 12, 40, 42 (adala.justice.gov.ma); Code pénal, art. 490, consolidated version of 20 April 2023 (adala.justice.gov.ma), checked November 2026.
Nepal: Ministry of Health and Population, standards for infertility services, approved 17 August 2025, section 2, Schedule 9 (giwmscdnone.gov.np, scanned PDF); Sishu Fertility, donor sperm page (clinic page, undated); Constitution of Nepal, art. 11(5); Nepali Times, on the 2023 citizenship amendment, checked November 2026.
Netherlands: Wet donorgegevens kunstmatige bevruchting; College donorgegevens kunstmatige bevruchting, “Donoren” and “Ouders” (donorgegevens.nl); Staatscourant 2024, 36749 (officielebekendmakingen.nl), checked November 2026.
New Zealand: Fertility NZ, “Single mothers by choice” (fertilitynz.org.nz); Fertility Associates, donor options and public funding pages (fertilityassociates.co.nz); Status of Children Act 1969, s. 22 (legislation.govt.nz, section title only); Community Law Manual, chapter 14 (communitylaw.org.nz), checked November 2026.
Nigeria: SCP Law, “Donor Gametes Dilemma: Navigating the Legal Challenges in Nigeria’s IVF Scene”, November 2025 (scp-law.com); Peoples Gazette / NAN, 13 June 2022 (gazettengr.com); Human Rights Watch, “‘Political Shari’a’? Human Rights and Islamic Law in Northern Nigeria”, 2004 (hrw.org); National Assembly Library Trust Fund, 24 July 2026 (naltf.gov.ng), checked November 2026.
Norway: Bioteknologiloven (lov 5. desember 2003 nr. 100), §§ 2-2, 2-3 a, 2-7, 2-10; Barnelova (lov 8. april 1981 nr. 7), § 9 (lovdata.no); Helsedirektoratet, evaluation of the Biotechnology Act 2024/2025, part report 1 (helsedirektoratet.no), checked November 2026.
Pakistan: Federal Shariat Court, judgment of February 2017, as reported by The Express Tribune, 21 February 2017 (tribune.com.pk), and Dawn, 22 February 2017 (dawn.com), judgment not read; Pakistan Penal Code, s.496B (pakistani.org), checked November 2026.
Peru: Ley 26842, Ley General de Salud, art. 7 (leyes.congreso.gob.pe), checked November 2026.
Poland: Ustawa z dnia 25 czerwca 2015 r. o leczeniu niepłodności, Dz. U. 2020 poz. 442, arts 17, 18, 20, 30 (eli.gov.pl); Ministry of Health, letter of 17 August 2026 (bip.brpo.gov.pl); Invimed, insemination page (invimed.pl), checked November 2026.
Portugal: Lei 32/2006, arts 6, 15, 21, 34 (pgdlisboa.pt); RTP, “Conselho da PMA alerta que inseminação caseira é crime” (rtp.pt), checked November 2026.
Russia: Federal Law 323-FZ, art. 55 (zakonrf.info), checked November 2026; Ministry of Health Order No. 803n of 31 July 2020, para. 54 (legalacts.ru), checked October 2026.
Saudi Arabia: Law of Fertilization, Utero-Fetal and Infertility Treatment Units, Royal Decree M/76 of 21/11/1424H, arts 4, 5, 32 (moh.gov.sa), checked November 2026.
Senegal: Loi n° 2005-18 du 5 août 2005 relative à la santé de la reproduction, art. 6 (informationsanitaire.sec.gouv.sn; sunupost.com); Code pénal, loi n° 65-60 du 21 juillet 1965, arts 329 to 331 (icnl.org), checked November 2026.
Singapore: Ministry of Health, FAQs on the Healthcare Services (Assisted Reproduction Service) Regulations 2023, updated 13 January 2026, Q15, Q36, Q47 (isomer-user-content.by.gov.sg), checked November 2026.
South Africa: Regulations Relating to Artificial Fertilisation of Persons, GN R175, Government Gazette 35099 of 2 March 2012, regs 1, 7(j), 9, 21 (gov.za); Children’s Act 38 of 2005, s. 40 (gov.za); UKZN NdabaOnline, 11 September 2021 (ndabaonline.ukzn.ac.za), checked November 2026.
South Korea: Korea Herald, 10 July 2023 (koreaherald.com); The Fact fact-check, 14 July 2023 (v.daum.net); Kormedi, 13 May 2026 (kormedi.com), checked November 2026.
Spain: Ley 14/2006 sobre técnicas de reproducción humana asistida, arts 5.5, 6.1, 6.5, 8.3 (BOE), checked November 2026.
Sweden: Lag (2006:351) om genetisk integritet m.m., ch. 6, §§ 2 to 5; Föräldrabalken, ch. 1, § 5 (riksdagen.se); Socialstyrelsen, page on fertility treatment and donation (socialstyrelsen.se), checked November 2026.
Switzerland: Fortpflanzungsmedizingesetz (FMedG), SR 810.11, arts 3, 8, 34 (droit-bilingue.ch); Federal Office of Public Health, “Fortpflanzungsmedizin” (bag.admin.ch), checked November 2026.
Taiwan: Assisted Reproduction Act (人工生殖法), as amended 3 January 2018, arts 2, 11, 13, 31 (law.moj.gov.tw); Business Today, 11 December 2025 (businesstoday.com.tw); PTS, 16 July 2026 (news.pts.org.tw), checked November 2026.
Thailand: Protection of a Child Born by Medically Assisted Reproductive Technology Act B.E. 2558 (2015), ss.3, 19, 35, 50; Marriage Equality Act, in force January 2025; draft amendment, public hearing July 2026, checked October 2026.
Togo: Loi n° 2007-005 du 10 janvier 2007 sur la santé de la reproduction, art. 40 (prb.org); Loi n° 2009-007 du 15 mai 2009 portant Code de la santé publique, arts 543, 582 (sherloc.unodc.org); Loi n° 2015-010 du 24 novembre 2015 portant nouveau Code pénal, art. 838 (policehumanrightsresources.org), checked November 2026.
Tunisia: Loi n° 2001-93 du 7 août 2001 relative à la médecine de la reproduction, arts 2, 3, 4, 14, 31, Arabic text (wrcati.cawtar.org); Code pénal, art. 236, 2005 edition (policehumanrightsresources.org), checked November 2026.
Turkey: Üremeye Yardımcı Tedavi Uygulamaları ve Üremeye Yardımcı Tedavi Merkezleri Hakkında Yönetmelik, Official Gazette No. 29135 of 30 September 2014, arts 4(ğ), 19(2) (lexpera.com.tr); H.D. Yıldırım, Journal of Forensic Medicine 2017;31(3):143-154, on Annex 17(5); hukukcularevi.com; BioEdge, October 2025 (bioedge.org), checked November 2026.
Uganda: Global Press Journal, 13 November 2024 (globalpressjournal.com); Hejnu, “Uganda’s only sperm bank stalls as egg storage plans languish”, 3 August 2026 (hejnu.ug), checked November 2026.
Ukraine: Civil Code, art. 281 (i.factor.ua, unofficial copy of 2014); Ukrainian National Bar Association, opinion on draft law No. 13683 (unba.org.ua); Ministry of Health, on draft law No. 13683 (moz.gov.ua), checked November 2026; Ministry of Health Order No. 787 of 9 September 2013, as amended 29 January 2025, para. 4.7 (zakon.rada.gov.ua), checked October 2026.
United Arab Emirates: Federal Decree-Law No. 17 of 2023 amending Federal Law No. 7 of 2019, arts 8, 9, as described by Chambers (chambers.com), 22 November 2023, and The National (thenationalnews.com), 26 October 2023; UAE Cabinet press release of 27 November 2021 on Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021, as cited by IRB Canada, ARE200565.E, 16 January 2023 (ecoi.net), checked November 2026.
United Kingdom: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, s. 13(5) (legislation.gov.uk); HFEA, “Using donated eggs, sperm or embryos in treatment”, “Sperm donation and the law for donors” and “Home insemination with donor sperm” (hfea.gov.uk), checked November 2026.
United States: 21 CFR 1271.90 (eCFR), checked October 2026; ASRM, Ethics Committee opinion on access to fertility treatment irrespective of marital status, 2021 (asrm.org, summary); Vermont, 15C V.S.A. §§ 102(4), 702 (legislature.vermont.gov); Associated Press via The Washington Times, 22 January 2014 (washingtontimes.com), checked November 2026.
Venezuela: El Diario, 4 June 2023, republished 9 November 2023 (eldiario.com); Acceso a la Justicia, 17 September 2026, on Supreme Tribunal judgment 338 of 6 August 2026 (accesoalajusticia.org), checked November 2026.
Vietnam: Decree 207/2025/ND-CP, arts 3, 6 (signed copy, hue.gov.vn); Law on Marriage and Family No. 52/2014/QH13, art. 93, checked October 2026.