Sperm Donation
The Morality of Sperm Donation
A husband and wife come together to make their offspring. This statement was one of the core teachings the Jesus taught, and still stands as moral teaching for many today. However, there is not always a man and a woman. There are single females, homosexual couples, and infertile couples that still want the joys of an offspring. Sperm donation is one way that people in this position are creating an offspring. As this practice becomes more popular in the 21st century, many question its morality.
Before looking into the morality of sperm donation, it is important to understand the background of the practice. The definition of sperm donation is “the process whereby a fertile woman is inseminated using sperm from a man other than her partner (Sydsjo).” People who receive sperm donations are single women, infertile couples, or homosexual couples. The only other options for having a child are adoption or another type of third party reproduction. For many people adoption can take years, and third party reproductions bring up the same moral questions as sperm donation. The most common way to receive a donation is by going to a sperm bank. The United States has a total of 675 sperm banks (Newton-Small). Out of these 675 sperm banks, there is only one sperm bank located in the state of Iowa. It is at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.
However, there are no sperm banks located in the nearby states of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. California is home to the largest sperm bank which is called the California Cryobank. The California Cryobank collected $23 million dollars in sales last year alone (Newton-Small). The United State’s sperm banks make approximately $100 million dollars annually from the process of sperm donation (Newton-Small). When looking at these numbers it is easy to see that it is a large economy in the United States. The United State’s sperm banks control 65% of the global economy of sperm donation (Newton-Small).
A husband and wife come together to make their offspring. This statement was one of the core teachings the Jesus taught, and still stands as moral teaching for many today. However, there is not always a man and a woman. There are single females, homosexual couples, and infertile couples that still want the joys of an offspring. Sperm donation is one way that people in this position are creating an offspring. As this practice becomes more popular in the 21st century, many question its morality.
Before looking into the morality of sperm donation, it is important to understand the background of the practice. The definition of sperm donation is “the process whereby a fertile woman is inseminated using sperm from a man other than her partner (Sydsjo).” People who receive sperm donations are single women, infertile couples, or homosexual couples. The only other options for having a child are adoption or another type of third party reproduction. For many people adoption can take years, and third party reproductions bring up the same moral questions as sperm donation. The most common way to receive a donation is by going to a sperm bank. The United States has a total of 675 sperm banks (Newton-Small). Out of these 675 sperm banks, there is only one sperm bank located in the state of Iowa. It is at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.
However, there are no sperm banks located in the nearby states of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. California is home to the largest sperm bank which is called the California Cryobank. The California Cryobank collected $23 million dollars in sales last year alone (Newton-Small). The United State’s sperm banks make approximately $100 million dollars annually from the process of sperm donation (Newton-Small). When looking at these numbers it is easy to see that it is a large economy in the United States. The United State’s sperm banks control 65% of the global economy of sperm donation (Newton-Small).
Cited: Cohen, I. Glenn. "Prohibiting Anonymous Sperm Donation And The Child Welfare Error." Hastings Center Report 41.5 (2011): 13-14 Newton-Small, Jay. "Frozen Assets." Time International (South Pacific Edition) 179.15 (2012): 28 Zodrow, John J. "Reproductive Technology, Intent Parentage And Genetic "Manipulation" Of Parental Roles." American Journal Of Family Law 21.4 (2008): 112-125 Elite. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. Sydsjö, G., et al. "Nurses Promote Openness Regarding The Genetic Origins After Gamete." Acta Paediatrica 96.10 (2007): 1500-1504 Dockterman, Eliana. " 'Delivery Man ': 9 Sperm-Donation Questions You 're Too Embarrassed To Ask." Time.Com (2013): 1.Corporate ResourceNet WEINBERG, RIVKA. "The Moral Complexity Of Sperm Donation." Bioethics 22.3 (2008): 166-178