The Ethical Sperm Bank: An All-Open Sperm Bank. An Idea Whose Time Has Come

The Ethical Sperm Bank: An All-Open Sperm Bank. An Idea Whose Time Has Come

A cultural phenomenon is growing these days in the world of gamete donation. The voices of the donor-conceived are growing louder and clearer, and the vast majority express that knowing or having known the identity of their donors is better than not knowing, psychologically-speaking. From actively listening to them, we learn that having a complete sense of one's biological origins fosters a more whole identity, which can positively impact self-confidence (not to mention the importance of knowing one's family medical history). They also prefer knowing and connecting with their half-siblings, just as anyone would want to know their first-degree genetic relatives. Furthermore, the vast majority of surveyed donors show that they not only think about the children they've helped to create, but also indicate a strong preference toward being able to know them. The extant research corroborates these experiences (DSR, 2015).

The Real Problem With Sperm Banks

The Real Problem With Sperm Banks

Many are outraged by the story of a woman suing a sperm bank for mistakenly providing her with sperm from a black donor, instead of a white donor as she requested. Jennifer Cramblett, who is white, later gave birth to a biracial daughter whom she and her partner are raising—a daughter who will one day grow up to read that her mother felt being impregnated with her was such a hardship that it warranted a lawsuit.