Sperm donation refers to the act of a man (the sperm donor) providing his sperm to another infertile man or couple having difficulty conceiving their own biological child in the hopes of allowing them to become pregnant. Sperm donation is part of the process of third–party reproduction. Sperm donation is typically facilitated through a sperm bank or clinic and can occur either privately or openly with the intended mother or recipient couple. Pregnancies using sperm donations are typically achieved using artificial insemination rather than in vitro fertilization.