Sperm Banks

Who should be responsible for stopping the 120 million sperm that are released during a male orgasm from fertilizing a female’s egg? The context of that question has been a societal debate in terms of the consequences of unplanned pregnancy and whether it is a female, male or both sexes responsibility to practice “safe sex”. Introducing the birth control pill for women in the 1960s created a huge controversy between sexual conservatives and the women who would benefit from the pill, but the responsibility still remained in the hands of women. However, as medicine has advanced and the possibility of a male birth control pill has amounted, many wonder if the same issues would arise if a male birth control pill did in fact become

| Given the contentious debate surrounding issues of procreation, develop an institutional policy, which can be applied to the range of treatment and research issues related to procreation.

In the 1998 article, “Egg head”, published by Human Life review, the author, Kathryn Jean Lopez stresses that many women, mostly in their twenties, that accommodate sterile couples to give birth by “donating” their eggs for money are not fully aware of the risk and harm that may occur after. In accordance, Lopez states that the women that undergo the procedure of the “donation” of their ovaries are usually women in their twenties or college girls. These are the most targeted type of groups of donators, for they are the believed to be the fittest contestant, and more than likely to produce more eggs. Additionally, she also explains that the “donation” consists of several tests, which involve ultra sounds; injections etc. The process of the “donation”

In his essay, “Building Baby From the Genes Up”, Ronald M. Green highlights the significance of Britain’s Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority’s ruling in favor of two couples seeking to eradicate breast cancer from their lineage through preimplantation genetic diagnosis, before building a case for why reproductive genetic technology is part of our future and why he believes that is a good thing. Tackling common criticisms, such as the effects genetic manipulation will have on parenting, the potential for discrimination and oppression, and religious objection, he ultimately concludes that we can overcome the risks to enjoy a host of improvements to our quality of life. On the surface, his ideals project a healthier, stronger human race; however, they fail to account for human nature and try to package life into neat, sterilized package.

The first child born through in vitro fertilization was born in 1978. Despite the amount of time that has passed from then to now, in vitro is still very much experimental. Although there has been improvement in the probability that the patient will bear a child since the end of 1980 where in a study only 5.4% of cases were successful (Bernholz, 1984), going through the process of in vitro fertilization still does not guarantee a child. In the beginning stages where in vitro fertilization was fairly new, there was some push back, especially morally. Many thought that it was wrong for scientists to “play God” and create life. As with anything else, the times have changes and so have many people’s opinions. Although nearly impossible for all people to agree on one topic, the use of in vitro fertilization has become more widely accepted for patients who deal with infertility issues.

The conventional part of men has been to give and secure. Abortion has cracked that part for some men, abandoning them confused as to what their part may now be. With the appearance of in vitro preparation and numerous single ladies picking parenthood yet not marriage, numerous men consider themselves to be close to 'sperm givers.' Some men are very upbeat to acknowledge this part yet others are

Anonymous sperm and egg donation is a serious topic. Some people think they should remain anonymous and some do not. A few reasons for becoming known donors are legal rights, medical reasons, and psychological problems. The parents and donor kids should know where the sperm or egg came from because it might affect their futures. Medical risks are a huge deal that everyone needs to be aware of, but especially those who are not sure where they came from. Donor children who do not know who their donor is or are looking for their biological parent, may grow up to have problems psychologically. Children have the right to know their biological background.

“Everything is theoretically impossible, until it is done” said American science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein. Heinlein was correct in his observation. Throughout the course of history, the gender of a child has always been a surprise and an uncontrollable part of life. Often it is regarded as a component of natural selection. Yet, scientific technologies have “made the impossible possible.” Advancement in In-vitro fertilization and uses of preimplantation genetic diagnosis have allowed people to have the power to make many genetic alterations to their future child, including gender selection. However, this scientific discovery brought about a controversial movement for reproductive freedom and draws out ethical concerns about what it

Regulation on IVF and other fertility services is necessary. The procedures being done are medical, psychological, and controversial enough to receive federal attention. When a human being is made in a lab, laws need to exist in case a couple divorces, changes their mind, or to prevent immoral decisions in the future. Becoming a parent is an understandable human right, nonetheless the desire of conceiving a child of one’s own can get out of hand. Yearning can lead to selfish decision making. Customers in the fertility clinics are desperate and will do anything they can to have a

In recent years, several factors have altered the definition of a family. We live in a time where careers, education, and work are now put before starting a family, making it more difficult to have children. The traditional family archetype has changed with a rise in single and homosexual parenting. This change, even though it is a positive one, can result in several people being unable to bear children. Infertility treatments have become a popular choice for these people who cannot have children. These treatments have become popular in books, movies, and other forms, which has brought attention to the ethics of the practices. The ethics of these treatments are challenged by the health risks on people

In the United States, it is estimated that infertility affects 7.4% to 15% of men and women of reproductive age (Lewis, Liu, Stuart, & Ryan, 2013). Infertility is defined as “failure to conceive after at least 1 year of attempting to achieve a pregnancy with unprotected intercourse.” (Lewis et al., 2013). These issues have been increasing in industrialized countries over the past half century, and couples facing these concerns often undergo assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). These processes are designed to allow couples to have healthy babies who are usually born at full term. Approximately 30% result in the pregnancy of multiples, most often twins (Ottosen et al., 2009). However, there is definitive evidence showing that women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies often experience feelings of depression and anxiety. These feelings can stem from multiple sources, including the social construction of gender and motherhood, the power relationship between a woman and her partner, or other significant aspects of her social position such as socioeconomic status. Understanding these issues can change the current process of assisted reproductive technology and help give agency to women who might want to undergo fertility treatments.

I am not surprised that around eighty percent of sperm donors are only donating for the monetary compensation. In my Chapter 5 discussion, I addressed the rising cost of living despite a slow growth in the job market. Young guys are looking to accommodate this issue by earning extra income doing various side jobs such as donating sperm. Based on beaspermdonor.com the average sperm donor can earn $4000 in a six-month period. Any young male that requires more money would see this amount as beneficial. Essentially, one can get paid by simply having an orgasm.

In the article “Egg Head” the author, Kathryn Lopez explicitly argues the hazardous effects of new medical technologies that allow young women to donate their eggs. The egg donation process is a lucrative business that appeals to infertile couples or career women who want to have children later in life. However, Lopez argues that the long-term effects from the medical procedure can be detrimental to a young donor’s health, causing all types of reproductive complications that may result in their death. In this article, Lopez expresses her concerns for and attempts to educate young women, specifically her target audience of young college women. Without a doubt, the egg donation business is lucrative; therefore, young college women are more

Many opponents of sperm donation also believe that donation should not be allowed to remain anonymous, citing that this causes negative effects on the resulting children in the long run (Christian Science Monitor); however I believe this should be entirely the donor’s choice. Many countries have already passed laws no longer allowing anonymous donation. According to the article “In Britain, a decline in sperm donors; Anonymous no longer, most say they want to help infertile couples, not just earn extra cash" by the Christian Science Monitor, this ban on anonymous sperm donation has vastly affected the number of donors, resulting in a shortage of sperm available for use. This action does not seem to be the most logical answer as it leaves many people wanting children without means by which they can do so. The effects on the donor conceived children could just as easily be reduced by other methods such as the creation of a national registry that includes more accessible data about their donor, such as medical issues the donor themselves may have and a more detailed family history of medical predispositions; something that many children including Kathleen LaBounty, a young woman with a

Artificial insemination are types of fertility procedure that can help a couple conceive a child. It is often used when the men have problems of fertility or when the mother don´t have a man with whom to have a baby. Artificial insemination places the sperm into the woman's uterus at the time of ovulation. (Nivin Todd, MD, 2008, Infertility and Artificial Insemination). Science considers this technique something innovative and humanistic, because it helps women to conceive, however, the reality is different. This procedure is a completely selfish decision, which shows the narcissism of women to the idea of conceiving. This shows that this narcissism dominates upon female solidarity, denying a possible home to an orphan. Still not enough, it also dominates upon the feelings of insecurity of the future child, generated by the ignorance about his biological father, and knowing that his conception meant for this man a transaction: semen for money.