Donors needed as UK struggles with sperm shortage

Friday, 14th November 2008

Written by Francesca Cookney

Britain is struggling to meet demand for sperm donors, the The British Fertility Society (BFS) said Wednesday.

Thanks to the removal of anonymity in 2005, numbers of donations have plummeted leading to a critical shortage. A minimum of 500 donors are needed every year in order to be able to keep up with the long waiting lists of would-be parents but in 2006 the number had dropped to 307.

Only10 pregnancies are allowed per donation, a limit put in place to prevent donor-born siblings inadvertently having children together, but the BFS have suggested upping this number in the face of such shortage. However, the reasons for shortage also need to be addressed. "The only countries that seem to have enough sperm are those that pay or the countries that retain anonymity," said BFS member, Allan Pacey.

This certainly suggests that the right to remain anonymous is a big factor in when it comes to donating. Mark Jackson, who donated sperm in 2005, finds this absurd, "To worry that someone might come and see you, that something might happen?

That's a long way in the future," he said. "I thought maybe I could do something to make a difference." Olivia Montuschi, co-founder of the Donor Conception Network agrees: "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," she said, "We are not talking about a fatherhood role."

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