- The men donated their sperm for research purposes and were unaware of kids
- Some men were shocked with some having sired as many as eight children
- They can now also be contacted by the donor children due to 2017 regulations
Men who donated their sperm for research purposes are finding out that they now have children out in the world and can contact their offspring if they choose.
Their offspring also have the option to contact their biological fathers who would not have known they existed.
VARTA is releasing a report this week that which will show that one donor in particular, who believed his sperm donation was purely for research purposes, now has eight offspring the Herald Sun reported.
Men who donated their sperm for research purposes are finding out that they now have children out in the world and can contact their offspring if they choose
He will not be the only man named in the report to find out decades after donating that their sperm was used to impregnate.
In light of the revelations VARTA CEO Louise Johnson said parents should reveal the donor status to their children.
‘We think there is still a large majority of people conceived (by donor sperm) prior to the introduction of the (fertility industry) legislation in 1988 that still don’t know they were donor conceived,’ he said.
In light of the revelations VARTA CEO Louise Johnson said parents should reveal the donor status to their children
Despite high donor secrecy it was also revealed that the Queen Victoria, Prince Henry’s and Royal Women’s Hospitals kept detailed records of donors.
With more changes to regulations introduced in 2017, stating that all donor conceived people within Victoria will now be allowed access to donor information.
Even without the donors consent.
However donors will still have the option of listing their preferred method of contact, included in that list is ‘no contact’.