Addicted to surrogacy

Around 1,000 surrogate babies have been born in the UK over the past two decades. In recent years, half of them have been born to serial surrogates: women who've been surrogates more than once.

Last night saw a channel 4 documentary following the journey of a number people embarking on surrogacy. It examined the highs and lows, the complex legalities as well as emotional upheaval of the journey.

Jill Hawkins, Britain's most prolific childless surrogate, has given away seven babies over the past 18 years. Is it finally time for Jill to wean herself off her need to have babies for other people, and start living her own life?

Janie and Peter have been trying to have a baby through a surrogate for three years. After several bad experiences in the UK, Tammy Lynn in Kansas is now having twins for the couple, and they've travelled the 5,000 miles to be with her at the birth.

In Essex, Amanda - a first-time surrogate - is having a baby boy for Stephen and Olga. With Olga and Amanda not always seeing eye-to-eye, we witness the complex and emotional journey that leads to having a surrogate baby.

Carole Horlock, the world's most prolific surrogate, tells the story of her career-low: when she discovered that a baby she had given birth to had been accidentally conceived with her own partner. What did she decide to do about the child, and has she ever regretted that decision?

To watch this documentary for free follow this link: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/addicted-to-surrogacy/4od#2932555

New test allows men to check their sperm count at home

A new device that looks a lot like those home ovulation and home pregnancy tests but checks sperm count will soon be available in Europe.

The test targets couples who have been trying to get pregnant for a few months, but aren't ready to seek professional help.

The product will retail for about £17. That's a lot cheaper than going in and having a full semen analysis.

While women only need to dip a test stick in their urine to see if they're pregnant or close to ovulation, the SpermCheck Fertility test requires a few more steps.

Users let the semen rest for 20 minutes, collect 100 micro liters using a pipette, and mix the semen with a detergent-containing substance known as a buffer, which releases the SP-10 protein from the sperm. Users then put a few drops of this mix into the two sample wells. Within seven minutes, the test results will appear in test windows.

To find out more about the tests follow this link: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61O4YV20100225

Celine Dion Calls Son, ‘Miracle Child’

Celine Dion has described her son as a 'miracle child' after facing a fertility battle before his conception.

Dion has now been seeking treatment at a fertility clinic in order to give her son a sibling.

The entertainer believes having a second child would bring more meaning to her life. Dion has even given interviews to the likes of Good Morning America.

Dion talked about how transparent and honest she wanted to be about her life and her infertility issue.

She hoped it would give voice to other women who may be struggling with the same issue. She wants those women to know that there is nothing wrong with them, many people go through such issues.

Dion has a new movie out, but very few of her recent interviews have mentioned much about the film, all have focused on her fertility issues as she aims to support other women in a similar position.

Bollywood covers sperm donation

A Bollywood film has become the first of it's kind to cover the topic of sperm donation, in a film that sees a woman, like many in real life, take the route of donation in her longing to become a mother.

The film, titled 'I am Afia' examines the moral implications of sperm donation, as well as the emotional and clinical journey for the woman involved.

What is deeply intimate and personal is questioned and challenged, as is the stereotype that every woman will ultimately conceive.

For more on this film and to watch an interview with some of the cast follow this link: http://www.washingtonbanglaradio.com/content/2770210-i-am-afia-short-film-directed-onir-sperm-donation-mafia-shot-kolkata

Debate over the financial responsibility of sperm donors

Recently we have examined cases in which the lines between sperm donor and father became blurred, and financial responsibility was sought from donors.

Here, the Morning show on Fox TV has invited a number of experts in the area to debate the issue regarding one such case.

In the case in question a sperm donor for a lesbian couple agreed to act as a 'positive role model' but without financial responsibility for the two children he conceived for his lesbian friend.

The friend, the children's birth mother, has now claimed that for the last 14 years he has acted as a father rather than a donor, including having the children stay at his house every weekend.

She is seeking backdated child support payments, while the donor in question is defending himself in a lengthy and complex court battle.

To see the full video of the debate on this case follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNczYdAVx5o&feature=related

Despair of the DNA 'sisters' - it turns out they weren't related at all

It was the perfect, joyous advert for a Government-backed scheme linking the children of sperm donors – two daughters of the same man meeting for the first time.

But in a terrible mistake that casts new doubt on DNA profiling, it turns out they weren’t related at all...

The embrace was as heart-warming as it was remarkable. Two women from opposite ends of the globe became the first British children of an anonymous sperm donor to meet face-to-face.
Keeley Hall, from Perth, Western Australia, and Elizabeth Howard, from Cambridge, had been among the first to register with UK Donor Link, a Government-funded database set up in 2004.

However it has now been revealed that the two women are not related at all. In a terrible and distressing mistake, UKDL brought two entirely unrelated women together and told them they were sisters.

Even worse, according to Keeley, the organisation had arranged for the two women to become the ‘poster girls’ for the programme.

Unsurprisingly, Elizabeth and Keeley, who are both 37, are deeply distressed by the development.

To find out more about this story follow this link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1252590/Despair-DNA-sisters-In-terrible-mistake-casts-new-doubt-DNA-profiling-turns-werent-related-all.html

Obesity tied to poorer sperm quality

Adding to evidence that obesity may affect a man's sperm quality, a new study finds that obese men tend to have less-mobile sperm than their thinner counterparts.





The study found that obese men tend to have poorer quality sperm than leaner men do -- including lower sperm counts and fewer progressively motile sperm, which refers to sperm that swim forward in a straight line rather than moving about aimlessly.





Experts fear that a steady increase in weight with the modern food culture will also result in decreasing fertility among men.

"Because the incidence of obesity is growing," they write, "it is expected that the number of obese men with reduced fertility will increase as well."





For more info on this study follow this link: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61G55620100217

Celebrity lookalike sperm donor scheme launched in UK

Sperm donation website PureAdam have launched a competition to find the next face of celebrity lookalike sperm donation.

The scheme which allows recipients to choose donors based on their similarity to celebrities is in existence in one clinic in California and has proved hugely popular.

Now UK based donation website PureAdam http://www.pureadam.com/ have launched a similar scheme, giving the opportunity potential parents around the world to find a celebrity donor on their site.

In their launch of the scheme PureAdam are inviting those who wish to be celebrity lookalikes to take part in their competition to find a top lookalike donor. With this title will come the opportunity to launch a lookalike career with maximum media exposure.

To find out more follow this link: http://www.pressport.co.uk/pressrelease/Press-Release-PureAdam-search-for-celebrity-lookalike-sperm-donors-9033.aspx

When Oral Sex Results In A Pregnancy; Can Men Ever Escape Paternity Obligations?

In a lawsuit against his ex-girlfriend, Richard O. Phillips has alleged that about six years ago, he engaged in oral sex with her.

Unbeknownst to Phillips, he says, his girlfriend, Sharon Irons, allegedly saved the resulting semen and used it to inseminate herself.

A pregnancy resulted, Irons gave birth to a baby, and DNA tests proved Phillips to be the genetic father.

Though Phillips allegedly did not learn of either the pregnancy or the birth until some time later, a court nonetheless ordered him to pay approximately $800 a month in child support.

The facts of this case raise significant questions about a man’s right — if any — to avoid paternity.

For an article examining the legal and moral implications of this case follow this link: http://goblogspot.com/2010/01/18/when-oral-sex-results-in-a-pregnancy-can-men-ever-escape-paternity-obligations/

Contraceptive injection for men

British couples are taking part in trials of a male contraceptive jab said to be as effective as the Pill.

Doctors believe it will liberate women from the burden of family planning by letting partners share responsibility.

The contraceptive, given in two injections every two months, tricks the brain into shutting off sperm production.

Doctors say it is effective in 99 per cent of cases and sperm counts should rapidly return to normal once the injections are stopped.

No serious side-effects are expected from the jab, although some men may experience hot flushes, mood swings or acne.

For more on this topic follow this link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1251064/On-trial-Pill-men-80-British-couples-test-drug-frees-women-burden-family-planning.html

A baster by any other name

The name of the upcoming Jenifer Aniston movie, in which she inseminates herself with sperm has caused outrage among some groups. The appropriately named 'The Baster' has been criticized for exposing children to asking questions about the meaning behind it.

Hundreds of children will be learning about a cooking utensil used to keep turkey moist, and questioning why this is the title to the film. As a result dozens of parents will see the need to go past this basic explanation and educate their tots on the fine art of artificial insemination.

The film draws comparison to the 2008 'Zac and Miri make a porno' film which was widely condemned by parents who had to explain what a porno was.

To see further debate on this issue follow this link: http://thefilmstage.com/2010/02/13/a-baster-by-any-other-name/

Embryo adoption latest trend

When Patricia Bohanon, an American teacher, flies home to Colorado from India on Sunday, she will carry a precious made-in-India baggage: an embryo.

This embryo, which was born in a petri-dish out of anonymous contributions from an Indian sperm donor and an egg donor, was transferred to Bohanon, who will deliver the Indian baby as her own in the first week of December.

The trend for embryo adoption is fast gaining momentum and may overtake traditional adoption as it allows adoptive mothers to experience all aspects of motherhood, including labour pains and birth.

Adoption of embryos is taking off in India in particular where costs are low and Indian families in poverty can be seen donating sperm and eggs as a way to make money and feed their existing families.

The morality of such actions by westerners in a developing Country are being questioned by some, but as many point out, with strict adoption laws making traditional adoption impossible for single mothers without a high income, the cheap alternative of embryo adoption in India is proving their only route to motherhood.

For more on this topic follow this link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Embryo-adoption-is-latest-trend/articleshow/5562810.cms