| Sperm donation is a topical issue, and one | | | | Secondly, rights correlate directly with |
| which has undoubtedly split national and | | | | responsibilities according to the influential |
| international opinion down on both sides of | | | | theory, albeit in a judicial context, known |
| the fence. In relation to artificial | | | | as the Hohfeld schema. Where then, do the |
| insemination, the act of a man donating sperm | | | | rights of the sperm donor correlate with |
| creates a situation whereby couples with | | | | responsibilities? Whilst there is a genetic |
| fertility problems raise the products of the | | | | link, there is no paternal link - that job's |
| donated sperm. Whilst this kind of solution | | | | already taken, thus the sperm donor has |
| can be a godsend to childless families, it | | | | nothing to contribute to the bargain aside |
| nevertheless sparks an emotional and moral | | | | from his common genetic materials. |
| debate over the role of the sperm donor to | | | | |
| his eventual biological child, dredging up | | | | On the flip side, the suggestion stands that |
| the old issues of nature and nurture and the | | | | children should be allowed to grow up with |
| importance of biological as opposed to | | | | their family units, and that biological |
| artificial family relationships. Furthermore | | | | relationships through sperm donation should |
| with the potential confusion this can cause | | | | be kept anonymous for policy reasons and to |
| for the child in later life, and the | | | | prevent eventual issues with tracking in |
| advancing relationship between DNA testing | | | | later life. However to counter this, why |
| and paternity, sperm donation continues to be | | | | shouldn't a child's biological father have |
| a hotly contested subject. | | | | the right to contact and access, if not at a |
| | | | distance, with his child? Sharing the same |
| Arguments on both sides | | | | genes, the characteristics of the father |
| | | | could be adapted through DNA testing |
| On one side of the fence is the argument that | | | | (genetic) to work out whether the child will |
| a child, regardless of any other factors, has | | | | be subject to the same medical problems or |
| an inherent right to see both of his | | | | temperament issues, which could be beneficial |
| biological parents. Certain opinions suggest | | | | to treating illnesses. |
| that the natural connection is far stronger | | | | |
| than anything that can be artificially | | | | Sperm donator anonymity and DNA Paternity |
| created, and that as such both the parent and | | | | Testing |
| the child have an in-built right to maintain | | | | |
| contact with one another. However this view | | | | Paternity testing and DNA testing in general |
| point has fallen to a number of robust | | | | have become far more widespread in recent |
| criticisms. Firstly, in the context of sperm | | | | years, which could eventually lead to the |
| donation this produces all kinds of policy | | | | issues of sperm donator anonymity being |
| problems. Few would argue it desirable to | | | | further jeopardised since a DNA paternity |
| have the ability to trace a sperm donor - | | | | test will confirm with certainty who the |
| sperm donation is not a commitment to | | | | biological father is of the child. Until |
| fatherhood. Likewise the sperm donor should | | | | then, however, the debate over the rights and |
| have no direct link to the child for fear | | | | responsibilities of the sperm donator in |
| that this may disrupt the family unit and | | | | relation to his biological child looks set to |
| hinder the child's upbringing. | | | | rage on. |
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