U.K. Facing Sperm Donor Shortage

Experts Say Scarcity Prompted By Reversing Confidentiality Laws

(AP)  Britain is facing a sperm donor shortage after reversing confidentiality laws and limiting the number of women who can use sperm from one donor, fertility experts warned Wednesday.

Britain in 2005 changed the law protecting anonymous sperm donors and allowed children to learn the identity of donor fathers - one reason, fertility experts say, there are fewer donors now.

"The only countries that seem to have enough sperm are those that pay - like the U.S. and Spain - or the countries that retain anonymity," said Allan Pacey, a member of the British Fertility Society that warned of the shortage in the British Medical Journal.

"In the countries that have removed anonymity ... there seems to be a problem," he said.

In 1991, Britain logged 503 sperm donors, according to figures from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. In 2000, there were 325, and in 2006 - the year after the law was changed - the number dropped to 307.

Experts say 500 donors a year are needed to cope with the number of couples needing donor insemination in Britain.

Dutch authorities have also put out calls to encourage sperm donors after scrapping anonymity for donors in 2004.

"There is a shortage of sperm donors. This is because of the new laws that make the anonymous donation of sperm impossible," the University of Amsterdam's Fertility Clinic of the Academic Medical Center said on its Web site.

Usage limits could also affect availability.

In Britain, only 10 babies can result from one donor - a limit some have called arbitrary. The Dutch allow one donor to supply sperm to 25 women.

The United States does not cap sperm donations at all, according to Eleanor Nicoll, spokeswoman for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. However, the group suggests that a single donor be limited to no more than 25 births in a population of 800,000 to avoid having siblings from the same sperm donor having children together.

In France, sperm donation is anonymous and the government covers donors' expenses but the country still faces a sperm shortage. France registered 248 sperm donors in 2006, according to the country's Agency of Biomedicine - a level an official there said was not enough to supply demand.

Unlike Britain, U.S. donors have the option of remaining anonymous, said Dr. Robert Visscher, former executive director of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.

"I don't think we are having a problem with adequate numbers of donors at this time, primarily because we don't have that regulation," he said.

Mark Jackson, 40, decided to donate in 2005, even after Britain's government amended the donor law.

"To worry that someone might come and see you, that something might happen? That's a long way in the future," said Jackson. "I thought maybe I (could) do something to make a difference."

Olivia Montuschi, co-founder of the Donor Conception Network, said changing the confidentiality law was important for the donors' children but shouldn't prevent men from being willing to help.

"What is needed is someone who has the maturity to understand the importance of what they're doing for the future, and the impact that might have on anyone who's conceived," said Montuschi, whose children were conceived using donor sperm. "We are not talking about a fatherhood role."

Although sperm donations from other countries are allowed in Britain, clinics cannot pay donors and donations from abroad are not enough to cope with the shortage, said Pacey, who runs a fertility clinic in Sheffield, 100 miles from London.

"Once upon a time ... we had hundreds and hundreds of people phoning up every year," he said. "Now, 20 a year? Not in any great numbers."

[lroth47]

''The best-laid plans of mice and men / Go oft awry''. One would think that by the 21st century lawmakers would understand the law of unintended consequences when trying to control their underlings.

NB to CBS editors. You probably should be fact checking AP feeds. A glaring error: 165 kilometers is not 265 miles. However, 265 kilometers *is* 165 miles.

[lroth47]

''The best-laid plans of mice and men / Go oft awry''. One would think that by the 21st century lawmakers would understand the law of unintended consequences when trying to control their underlings.

NB to CBS editors. You probably should be fact checking AP feeds. A glaring error: 165 kilometers is not 265 miles. However, 265 kilometers *is* 165 miles.

[berniepeders]

lroth47: The correct quote is "The best laid schemes o'' mice an'' men/Gang aft agley." It''s taken from "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck. Just FYI.
Peace

[gymjay32]

Just for the record, 165 kilometers is about 100 miles, not 265 miles. The writer misapplied the conversion factor from km to miles.

[petro49l]

Women in the UK should get better Men for sperm donors. The Clinics resort to using those who abused street drugs and alcohol. They might try international donations, instead.

[pomoc-2009]

O YA NOW THERE''S A REAL PROBLEM WE SHOULD ALL WORRY ABOUT MORE NEWS YOU CAN USE YOU NO THE BIRD GAGE.THE COUNTRY IS GOING DOWN THE TOILET AND cbs is telling us we need to worry about a sperm bank in another part of the world what a joke . Why don''t you look into the fact that the dummies that got this world into this mess you now frank and dodd are still around talking gobildeguk, and people are listening to these two idiots if they were republicans they would be in jail along with there wife and kids and any family member cbs could digg up what joke.

[vorenius]

I would gladly fly over to London and donate as many times as necessary to ensure the English women have an opportunity to have a child. My brother, who was stationed there for 4 years at Lakenheath shares my views!

The Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming!

ps
The old fashion method is still the best method to employ.

[easeup-2009]

If they fly me over there & give me per diems, I would gladly "rough up the suspect!"

[mumu11]

Well, Duh!
Men who donate their sperm, do so to help infertile couples, not to get an extra teenager barging in their lives later on, demanding child support and equal treatment with the family they choose to have with an eventual spouse.
I''m not a man and I understand that so, how could the British government/parliament (90%male) not get it?
It should be enough to keep on file relevant medical information about the donor and make it available on a need to know basis.

[petro49l]

Women prefer high IQ and mechanical skill. Why do the Clinics enlist so many ignorant homosexual types? Women who would use the services avoid Clinics because of the inferior seed. Why not advertise for better Men?

[honestabe8]

it turns out that the british AREN''T coming...

[mljohns00]

I have some available for direct deposit.

[ybotheratall]

t turns out that the british AREN''''T coming...

Posted by honestabe8 at 03:25 PM
--------------------------------
The best post I''ve EVER read on these forums here. My hat off to you!

[stan821]

I am not interested in the terms of the bailout for this bank...

[easeup-2009]

It''s time for the good men of England to step up & take matters into their own hands.

[xxunknown]

It turns out that the british AREN''''''''T coming...

Posted by honestabe8 at 03:25 PM
-------------------------------------
Hahaha. Best laugh I had all day.

[vatofla]

I would like to make a donation, what method of extracion will she be using. (Hopefully all of them)

[tyronehogleg]

it turns out that the british AREN''''T coming...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by honestabe8 at 03:25 PM : Nov 13, 2008


LOL...Thanks for the laugh....

[cdfoxtrot5]

it turns out that the british AREN''''''''T coming...


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Posted by honestabe8 at 03:25 PM : Nov 13, 2008


Ha, ha, ha. This is easily the funniest line ever written. I may have to change my underwear, I''ve been laughing so hard.

[babooph]

They can come to the States & follow the "family values " politicians into the mensroom-plenty of donors there.

[n55bz]

berniepeders: the quote is from Robert Burns'' poem To A Mouse. " Wee sleekit courin timourous beastie" is how the poem begins if I remember correctly from my Jesuit High School literature class in 1958

[n55bz]

berniepeders: the quote is from Robert Burns'' poem To A Mouse. " Wee sleekit courin timourous beastie" is how the poem begins if I remember correctly from my Jesuit High School literature class in 1958

[n55bz]

berniepeders: the quote is from Robert Burns'' poem To A Mouse. " Wee sleekit courin timourous beastie" is how the poem begins if I remember correctly from my Jesuit High School literature class in 1958

[rixmix98]

Women prefer high IQ and mechanical skill. Why do the Clinics enlist so many ignorant homosexual types? Women who would use the services avoid Clinics because of the inferior seed. Why not advertise for better Men?

Posted by Petro49L at 03:24 PM : Nov 13, 2008



So you think your donation that would produce a one tooth redneck bozo would be any better?

[ichabod57]

"Experts say 500 donors a year are needed to cope with the number of couples needing donor insemination in Britain."

Don''t they mean WANTING donor insemination? Since when is insemination and pregnancy a medical necessity?

[cheteunice]

Just why is this news worthy?

[used2bfedup1]

Wow and Ive been doing it free for too long.

[nothappyatall]

Oh for christ sake! we have TOO MANY freaking people on this finite planet, till there are NO kids in foster care ADOPT ONE don''t breed!!!!!!!

[mikezembill]

Ncot to worry the yanks are a commin with big loads

[mikezembill]

We could send our congressmen and senators over but the IQ would bee a little under 100 say 75 or so if this would be ok let the presedent know but you may not want him his IQis under 50.

[cheteunice]

Again what is this newsworthy? Anyone? CBSNEWS?

[cheteunice]

Why exactly is this newsworthy?

[honestabe8]

Aww, shucks, cdfoxtrot, tyronehogleg, xxunknown, ybotheratall...you honor me, thanks.

[deadmaverick]

Maybe the maverick can visit the U.K. since he has so much time on his hands now...........

[human-being-2009]

Wow! looks like we are breeding ourselves.

I''d be willing to donate my sperm free of charge on condition that I have *** with each recepient, instead of artificial insemination. lol!

[human-being-2009]

Should I say to ''sleep'' or have intercourse with each recepient for it not to get censored? I thought that was a scientific terminalogy

[earache4]

"U.K. Facing Sperm Donor Shortage"

Come again?

[earache4]

I guess that''s why they are not called yankies....

[earache4]

Since they switched to the metric system, they can''t fill a cup?

[earache4]

In economic hard times, a good donor is hard to come by....

[earache4]

So Britain comes up short?

[earache4]

Maybe the Brits don''t have much to work with....

[earache4]

Austin Powers:

"Margaret Thatcher on a cold day, Margaret Thatcher on a cold day...."

[earache4]

There''d be more donors if they could make direct deposits.....

[aggiekat2004]

Perhaps this is a good thing...population control right there!

[wotring3]

Jack Meehof of Germany and Harry Wang of China would like to shake things up in the UK.

[jackp32]

Surely they can find some shooters somewhere.

[bm6005]

Anyone know how much they pay? I need the income!

[ml66uk]

According to HFEA figures, the numbers of sperm donors have gone *up* in the two years since the ending of anonymity, thus reversing a three year decline. The 307 donors in 2006 was 48 more than in 2005, and the highest figure since 2001.

I don''t have a huge problem with sperm donors being paid, or the numbers of children per donor being increased, but we should never go back to the days of anonymous donors. The donor-conceived are the ones who matter in this, not the parents, not the clinics, and not the donors.

If a sperm donor wants to be anonymous, then he simply shouldn''t be a sperm donor. I was a sperm donor over 20 years ago, and if I have any genetic children looking for me, I''ve made it as easy as possible for them to find me.

[trishab56]

Anyone know how much they pay? I need the income!
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Posted by bm6005 at 11:50 AM : Nov 14, 2008

-Less than what you''d have to pay for yer trip ticket. So stay at your TacoBell Job and master baite, they need brighter guys than you, in order to have better offsprings. They need people like Bill Clinton... on his first trip to UK as spouse of Secretary of State, he''ll leave a drop or two!... LOL!