Sperm Donors May Lose Anonymity

The halcyon days of anonymous sperm donation may draw to a close, Newsweek reports, as children's rights and health issues prompt the country’s top three sperm banks to consider a national registry for sperm and egg donors. The list may allow recipients to learn about inherited health risks, and give the progeny of manufactured unions a link to their past.

Not all are happy about the initiative, and some clinics wonder if increased transparency will push prospective donors away. While many contributors are “open” donors, and welcome contact with children once they turn 18, some prefer to remain in the shadows. One mother, who conceived with donated sperm, sees it differently. “These kids deserve to know the truth,” she said. (More sperm bank stories.)