In-demand Danish baby industry thrives because sperm donors are vetted vigorously for genetic abnormalities

In-demand Danish baby industry thrives because sperm donors are vetted vigorously for genetic abnormalities

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Britain has the highest number of women shopping for sperm donors in Denmark. Attracted by features that include height and baritone voice, British say the genes of Nordic men provide a better option to the stocky British men, often perceived as fussy.

Single mother Holly Ryan, 45, from Brighton provides insights into the hunt for ‘Viking babies’ by British women. Holly, who is company director of an agency in TV & film in Britain estimates that each trip to Denmark cost her around £1,000 ($1,244) to £1,200 ($1,493), but points out that fertility treatment there costs around a third of the price in the UK.

“I’ve gathered from friends that the clinics in Denmark are more serene and nurturing spaces than their UK counterparts. Stork Klinik evokes a sophisticated calm from the moment you walk in, and that psychological element is important in conceiving. It just feels like everything’s delicately designed to make you feel more relaxed.”

Holly has been completely open with her children about their origins and says there have been no issues with awkward questions from classmates and single parents are common in any case.

“Both Johan and Silke know they were conceived from a Danish sperm donor. We regularly salute their heritage, holiday there repeatedly and when they’re older I would of course encourage them to get in contact with their biological father.

“I’d also love to meet him because he’s been the bridge to me becoming the version of me that I always wanted and he’s gifted me the happiest moments of my life, of which there have been many. The constellation of my family is a beautiful shape in my mind.”

Julie Paulli Budtz, director of brand and communications at the European Sperm Bank said: “In the past, the recipients and later the children didn’t get any information about the donor, but now we give a full description of him, his interests and his family.

“We believe a lot of that information will actually give them so much comfort that perhaps they won’t need to reach out to the donor because they have a good picture of who they are, and what he is like as a person.”

Denmark has been a leading player in the fertility industry for more than 20 years, which created a need for more donors.

Added Julie, “It became part of the culture and I think Denmark is a bit more open-minded and liberal than some other countries. Young people here have been seeing ads for donors to come forward and there are a lot of children who were from donated sperm or eggs, so it all becomes seen as normal. “

Potential donors are rigorously checked for any medical problems or genetic abnormalities and advised about the possible implications for themselves, she said.

“DNA registers have presented an entirely new situation for the donors and we make them aware of that and the implications. It’s a natural part of our screening process, which takes between three and six months, depending on the donor. We need to make sure that they understand the implication of what it takes to be a sperm donor, it’s not something that the donor can reverse – if his donations have already been sent out, we can’t do anything about it. So, it’s a commitment for life.”

All around the sperm bank, their slogan, “Give Life” is repeated on literature and notices. The European Sperm Bank issues these instructions for sperm donors using VR goggles to watch pornography at its facility:

In 2018 the company opened a branch in London to encourage British donors to come forward – although recently someone stole the London “sperm bike” and is presumably peddling the distinctive two-wheeler around the capital’s streets. The sperm bank would like it back.

European Sperm Bank follows the national pregnancy limits and on average a donor helps 25 families across different countries.

“In total, the company has helped conceive more than 50,000 children over 20 years, and it makes us proud, added Julie. The company has about 700 donors on its books. Some of the latest new arrivals are shown on a pin board. One mother was so pleased she named her daughter after a member of the staff.

Once the sperm has been handed over to the lab, the sperm cells are separated from the seminal fluid in a centrifuge, as only the sperm cells are needed. Placed on an electro-microscope, millions of sperm cells can be seen furiously swimming around on the screen under the watchful eye of Bettina Hannibal Agershov, head lab technician.

“Sperm cells start dying from the minute they leave the man’s body, why it is important to get the sample frozen as fast as possible” she said.

Sperm “straws” are then packaged in liquid nitrogen tanks at minus 196C before being sent out to fertility clinics all around the world.

In Aarhus, a university city three hours’ drive from Copenhagen, the world’s biggest sperm bank, Cryos International, has brought more than 70,000 babies into the world since it was founded 35 years ago by pioneer Ole Schou. It has outposts in the US as well as Europe.

Chief communications officer Martin Lassen explains: “It’s important for a sperm bank to have a diversified base of donors and we’re proud of that.

“The reason Denmark is so popular is that it was the founder of Cryos who started all this, and many other firms have followed. It’s also something we’re very used to as a nation. Many Danes are also giving blood and maybe there’s something in the culture – there are places where sperm donation would not be something that’s seen positively.

“It’s just a way of helping others that people like to do and the legislation makes it possible.”

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