Friday, 18 December 2009

A prolific sperm donor shares his concerns


Yesterday, an article hit the headlines which gave a different take on sperm donation. From a controversial standpoint, a sperm donor who estimates that he has fathered more than 400 children shared his concerns about sperm donation.


Kirk Maxey from Mid West America donated sperm twice a week for 14 years, due to persuasion from his wife who worked at a fertility centre low on donor sperm.


Some of the many children Kirk fathered have found him via the Donor Sibling Registry. Although he does not regret donating, Kirk wishes to draw attention to the lax safety and information access surrounding sperm donation.


His main complaints about the system are that the children he fathered will know nothing of his medical history, as none was ever given during his 14 years of donations.


With the understanding that he will likely have fathered hundreds of children, Kirk worries that he could have passed on a genetic disease or recessive genes to his offspring.


His cavalier attitude in younger years, and the clinic's lax attitude, Kirk says have put the children of sperm donation at risk. He is now fighting information laws surrounding donation in the hope of finding out about the children he fathered.


Of course, having made such frequent donations in the small town of Michigan has also led to the risk of incest for those fathered by him. These worries are a burden to Kirk who wishes he had thought about the future implications when donating so regularly.


Follow this link to find out more about Kirk's story http://www.newsweek.com/id/227104


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