Poll: Would you or have you donated your sperm/egg?

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

I've thought about it in the past but I have a daughter now, even though she's not blood related. As such I don't need a potential son/daughter showing up 18+ years later wanting to know me and I am set on not having kids of my own as my wife no longer can have kids. Sure it would be raised by someone else but still, I'm fine with my bloodline ending with me (plus I've got blood cousins who'll continue the family beyond me).

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I have no interest in doing that, if I'm honest.

I'm already pretty iffy about kids of my own as it is.

I do know someone that has done it and she told me it's not the "wham, bam, thank you, ma'am" process that everyone assumes it is when they talk about it. Not really something I want to subject myself to. It's also something I don't really think about.

 

[GrumbleGrump]

Do they pay?

If they do, then yes.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

I'd be interested in doing it, but it's worth noting that only a small % of people can actually even donate sperm or eggs.

For sperm donation, you basically have to have a completely clean family medical history (that also includes no cancer). Not only that, the requirements themselves are frequently bonkers:
-Must be college educated
-Must be in a high level of physical shape
-Must be minimum 6'1 (so few women will pay for sperm of men under 6'0 that most banks won't even accept them)
-They're allowed to (and do) discriminate by race and hair color (among other things).
-Apparently even if you get accepted, the process sucks. You don't just go there once and jerk off in a cup, you have to go back every day for weeks and weeks until they've decided they have enough viable samples.

Egg donation isn't much better. In addition to having to meet a laundry list of requirements, they put you on massive amounts of fertility drugs so that you ovulate more than one oocyte at a time, and then 'harvest' your eggs (which is about as fun as it sounds).

 

[DefunctTheory]

Egg donation isn't much better. In addition to having to meet a laundry list of requirements, they put you on massive amounts of fertility drugs so that you ovulate more than one oocyte at a time, and then 'harvest' your eggs (which is about as fun as it sounds).

Well, when you put it that way...

I guess it doesn't sound like much fun.

 

[Catfood220]

If they want it, they can have anything that comes out of me. But no body ever wants anything that comes out of me

 

[Wrex Brogan]

Fun fact, looked into it a while ago, and I don't even qualify. Too many medical problems in my family history (Stomach, lung and bowel cancer on both sides) so I don't even get to fill out the preliminary paper work.

Oh well. My siblings have had kids, so I don't have to worry about any 'continue the bloodline' things anyway.

I'd be interested in doing it, but it's worth noting that only a small % of people can actually even donate sperm or eggs.

For sperm donation, you basically have to have a completely clean family medical history (that also includes no cancer). Not only that, the requirements themselves are frequently bonkers:
-Must be college educated
-Must be in a high level of physical shape
-Must be minimum 6'1 (so few women will pay for sperm of men under 6'0 that most banks won't even accept them)
-They're allowed to (and do) discriminate by race and hair color (among other things).
-Apparently even if you get accepted, the process sucks. You don't just go there once and jerk off in a cup, you have to go back every day for weeks and weeks until they've decided they have enough viable samples.

Egg donation isn't much better. In addition to having to meet a laundry list of requirements, they put you on massive amounts of fertility drugs so that you ovulate more than one oocyte at a time, and then 'harvest' your eggs (which is about as fun as it sounds).

...what on earth does 'college education' have to do with sperm? That's the weirdest requirement on there.

 

[McElroy]

I guess maybe yes. I'm not a charitable person, and so I wouldn't do it for free.

...what on earth does 'college education' have to do with sperm? That's the weirdest requirement on there.

It's because of all the Sperm Maintenance classes they have in colleges. Right?

Last time I checked, I'm sterile.

At least you qualify for TIME Top 30 Under 30 (and infertile).

 

[crimson5pheonix]

Fun fact, looked into it a while ago, and I don't even qualify. Too many medical problems in my family history (Stomach, lung and bowel cancer on both sides) so I don't even get to fill out the preliminary paper work.

Oh well. My siblings have had kids, so I don't have to worry about any 'continue the bloodline' things anyway.

I'd be interested in doing it, but it's worth noting that only a small % of people can actually even donate sperm or eggs.

For sperm donation, you basically have to have a completely clean family medical history (that also includes no cancer). Not only that, the requirements themselves are frequently bonkers:
-Must be college educated
-Must be in a high level of physical shape
-Must be minimum 6'1 (so few women will pay for sperm of men under 6'0 that most banks won't even accept them)
-They're allowed to (and do) discriminate by race and hair color (among other things).
-Apparently even if you get accepted, the process sucks. You don't just go there once and jerk off in a cup, you have to go back every day for weeks and weeks until they've decided they have enough viable samples.

Egg donation isn't much better. In addition to having to meet a laundry list of requirements, they put you on massive amounts of fertility drugs so that you ovulate more than one oocyte at a time, and then 'harvest' your eggs (which is about as fun as it sounds).

...what on earth does 'college education' have to do with sperm? That's the weirdest requirement on there.

I think the thought process is that there's a correlation between intelligence and genetics and there's a reasonable correlation between intelligence and a college degree.

I am not a geneticist, I reserve the right to be wrong.

OT: If I splintered my perfection, my errant children would be honor bound to track me down and fight me for the title of "Best". It's a hassle, so no.

 

[Parasondox]

I'd be interested in doing it, but it's worth noting that only a small % of people can actually even donate sperm or eggs.

For sperm donation, you basically have to have a completely clean family medical history (that also includes no cancer). Not only that, the requirements themselves are frequently bonkers:
-Must be college educated
-Must be in a high level of physical shape
-Must be minimum 6'1 (so few women will pay for sperm of men under 6'0 that most banks won't even accept them)
-They're allowed to (and do) discriminate by race and hair color (among other things).
-Apparently even if you get accepted, the process sucks. You don't just go there once and jerk off in a cup, you have to go back every day for weeks and weeks until they've decided they have enough viable samples.

Egg donation isn't much better. In addition to having to meet a laundry list of requirements, they put you on massive amounts of fertility drugs so that you ovulate more than one oocyte at a time, and then 'harvest' your eggs (which is about as fun as it sounds).

Well, talk about picky. So to sum up, you have to be "perfect". I thought the adoption process was long and choosy but this seems a bit much. All for a baby? Good luck to anyone going through that process.

 

[Paragon Fury]

I would consider it to help people...BUT ONLY if the laws were changed nation-wide that donors have no responsibilities or requirements involving the children that come if some couple decides to use a donor's sperm (unless obviously they didn't disclose some serious medical issue) and have the legal authority to tell any results that come knocking to get lost and leave them alone.

 

[JaKandDaxter]

I considered it in the past for the money and to pass on my offspring. But I'm glad I never did, as I wouldn't be comfortable being the father of kids that I don't know exist. And may likely want to be involved in their lives. So for a few hundred bucks, that wouldn't be worth it.

I rather have my own biological kids that I can see on a daily/weekly basis. And consider adoption at some point when my future finances allow for it. So no sperm bank for me. Even if one will look past me being less than 6 feet tall.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well when the "educated" kids were telling everyone you get 50 bucks a shot for that stuff I was absolutely interested, but sperm banks don't actually do that around here, you go through a very lengthy trial period and if they decide to take your sperm you might get something for your expenses.
Further more there was an incident locally where a sperm donor got tracked down and slammed with alimony for "his kids", and that shit somehow legally went through. He got treated as a run away father even though he had nothing to do with those kids and the sperm bank contracts specifically lift all legal obligations.

 

[Nemmerle]

Hmm, a chance to get legally screwed. No thanks. If it was like no questions asked, ?20 a pop, the law can't touch you? Sure. But... yeah. No.

 

[MHR]

What, the option to "win" biologically without any work besides the few fun minutes it takes to do once?

And then maybe get paid for it?

yes

 

[FPLOON]

I have not... But, I'm not sure if I meet the general requirement of donating... I mean, do you still have to be an average height of 5' 9" (175m)?

For sperm donation, you basically have to have a completely clean family medical history (that also includes no cancer). Not only that, the requirements themselves are frequently bonkers:
-Must be college educated
-Must be in a high level of physical shape
-Must be minimum 6'1 (so few women will pay for sperm of men under 6'0 that most banks won't even accept them)
-They're allowed to (and do) discriminate by race and hair color (among other things).
-Apparently even if you get accepted, the process sucks. You don't just go there once and jerk off in a cup, you have to go back every day for weeks and weeks until they've decided they have enough viable samples.

Well, fuck... I knew I was short, but not THAT black and skinny! Plus, their selection of stimulation is very limiting to my standards...

Other than that, if I can't donate, then I'll just drink chug it [all] down... It has to go somewhere alternatively, right?

 

[Ihateregistering1]

I'd be interested in doing it, but it's worth noting that only a small % of people can actually even donate sperm or eggs.

For sperm donation, you basically have to have a completely clean family medical history (that also includes no cancer). Not only that, the requirements themselves are frequently bonkers:
-Must be college educated
-Must be in a high level of physical shape
-Must be minimum 6'1 (so few women will pay for sperm of men under 6'0 that most banks won't even accept them)
-They're allowed to (and do) discriminate by race and hair color (among other things).
-Apparently even if you get accepted, the process sucks. You don't just go there once and jerk off in a cup, you have to go back every day for weeks and weeks until they've decided they have enough viable samples.

Egg donation isn't much better. In addition to having to meet a laundry list of requirements, they put you on massive amounts of fertility drugs so that you ovulate more than one oocyte at a time, and then 'harvest' your eggs (which is about as fun as it sounds).

...what on earth does 'college education' have to do with sperm? That's the weirdest requirement on there.

You have to remember that Sperm (and egg) donation is ultimately a business, and you have to look at it from the point of view of the person who is paying (a LOT) of money for the sperm.

Just think of it this way: if you were a woman and were going to "go it alone" and someone said "Ok, you have two choices for a father: a 6'3 Harvard educated Doctor who does triathlons, or a 5'6 obese truck driver who dropped out of high school", which one are you going to pick? Since sperm banks pay a pretty decent amount for sperm, it makes sense that they're not going to accept it from people who they don't think anyone is ever going to want it from (why stock the shelves with a product no one wants to buy?).

Like I said, it leads into some eyebrow raising stuff, notably that sperm banks will discriminate based on race, height, and a host of other factors. It was a big hoopla a few years ago when a huge bank in Europe started refusing to take sperm from "Ginger" men, because the demand for it was so low.

 

[K12]

... I'm friends with a lesbian couple and it's a running joke amongst their male friends which one of them will be a sperm-donor for when they have kids.

I'm totally down with it and would be really honoured to be asked however since 2 of my grandparents died of cancer (and my grandad was still in his 30s when he got it) and the other two had moderate to severe long term mental health problems it might be best to let someone else do it.

 

[K12]

For sperm donation, you basically have to have a completely clean family medical history (that also includes no cancer). Not only that, the requirements themselves are frequently bonkers:
-Must be college educated
-Must be in a high level of physical shape
-Must be minimum 6'1 (so few women will pay for sperm of men under 6'0 that most banks won't even accept them)
-They're allowed to (and do) discriminate by race and hair color (among other things).
-Apparently even if you get accepted, the process sucks. You don't just go there once and jerk off in a cup, you have to go back every day for weeks and weeks until they've decided they have enough viable samples.

You see that's the thing about sperm, one guy can make a ridiculous surplus of it by himself so why wouldn't you be really picky!

 

[Ishigami]

There are some legal ramifications that make it unappealing to me.

A few years back a women sued a doctor specialized in in vitro fertilization to gain access to his files in order to find her biological father.
Now you might think "yea well fat Chance with the Hippocatic oath and stuff" right? WRONG!
She actually won the case.

It was ruled that she has right to know who her biological father is as the judges seemed it important to her growth as a person or some nonsense like that and that the anonymity of the client and secrecy of the files is actually of lower value...

The funny thing is this: Even a child born from in vitro fertilization has a right to alimony!

Because back then when those laws were written it didn't matter. Even after the technology became widely spread and used no one cared because nobody was able to get to the files as it was a secret protected by the doctor's non-disclosure obligation.
Well not anymore!

So basically you donate your sperm and years later someone, you don't even know or care about, knocks on your door declaring himself as your kid and you may have to pay some bills on top of it.

You must have one hell of an investment plan to take that kind risk for that little Money...