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