Ben Roberg
Brad Bleck
Eng. 101
Due: Nov 17, 2009
Who Is My Father?

Do you know who your father is? Would you be the same person you are today if you had or had not known your father your whole life? In the world of fertility and cryo-banking, the later is being discussed frequently. There are people who think that a donor’s identity should not be held anonymous. The reproductive technologies realm has changed a lot since 1978 when the world's first test-tube baby was born. The technology was first created to help infertile mothers but now is used by anyone trying to get pregnant (NEJM). Right now, the law guarantees that a sperm donor's identity will remain anonymous, but the offspring can trace their heritage once they are 18 years old. The law caters to the needs of the sperm banks and the sperm buyers, not the children produced through artificial insemination. Donor anonymity is good for the banks and for the buyers because they will get a high number of donors. The bank will have a large variety of donors for the buyers to choose from. No considerations for the feelings of the potential offspring are made, with good reason. No change to the law should be made because a child under the age of 18 does not have the mental capacity to deal with the idea of an unidentified father.

One should consult experts from the field to create an informed opinion about whether or not this law concerning donor anonymity should be changed. Experts could be any doctors practicing in the field of fertility and reproduction or anyone who has produced a child through artificial insemination. A survey taken of Swedish Gynecologists and Obstetricians revealed that only 5% of these professionals disagreed with the idea of an anonymous donor (Attitudes).

A donor produced child could react to knowing his biological father’s identity in a variety of ways. Mrs. Elaine Fortescue gives four possible scenarios. First, the child might have questions about their father. Second, the child might seek irregular contact or once in a while. Third, the child might want to be a part of the donor family, or fourth the child might want to be exclusively part of the donor family (Gamete Donation). There is no way to predict the outcome. Imagine being this child, how would you react? Would it be easier to cast aside your biological father or your social parents? This is not a problem if the child is over 18 years old. The child is a “legal” adult and is responsible for them self. If revealing a donor's identity creates a possibility that the child will want to be exclusively a part of the donor family, and if there is no way to predict the outcome of the child's behavior, a donor's identity should not be revealed to his offspring before the age of 18.