The Global Sperm Donor Boom: How One Man Can Father Hundreds of Children Across Borders
In an era where fertility treatments are more accessible than ever, a hidden and largely unregulated system is allowing a single sperm donor to father hundreds of children across multiple continents. A recent investigation has pulled back the curtain on a global industry—valued in the billions—where biology, business, and ethics often collide, sometimes with life-altering consequences.
The case that sparked international concern involves a single donor whose sperm, carrying a genetic mutation that dramatically raises cancer risk, was used to conceive at least 197 children across 14 countries. The revelation exposed a stark reality: while individual nations may have rules limiting how many times a donor can be used, there is no international framework to track sperm as it crosses borders.
“This creates circumstances where a sperm donor can legally father large numbers of children. Although the man is often in the dark about that fact,” the report noted. Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Frank Vandenbroucke likened the industry to the “Wild West,” where the initial mission of helping people build families has “given way to a veritable fertility business.”
The “Viking Sperm” Phenomenon and a Tiny Elite Donor Pool
Denmark has emerged as a surprising superpower in this global trade, home to some of the world’s largest sperm banks. The popularity of so-called “Viking sperm” isn’t just marketing, says Ole Schou, founder of Cryos International. He points to genetics, explaining that classic Danish traits like blonde hair and blue eyes are recessive, meaning they are more likely to appear in a child if the mother also carries those genes. This has made Danish donors particularly sought-after by certain recipients.
But becoming a donor in the first place is remarkably difficult. Fewer than five in 100 volunteers meet the stringent criteria involving sperm count, motility, morphology, and genetic screening. The result is a very small, elite donor pool. In the UK, half of all sperm used is imported to meet demand.
“Sperm banks and fertility clinics are maximising the use of available donors to meet demand,” says Sarah Norcross of the Progress Educational Trust. This turns donor sperm into a “precious commodity.”
A Dating-App Dynamic and Unregulated Expansion
Choosing a donor has evolved into a process eerily similar to swiping on dating apps. Potential parents can browse profiles detailing a donor’s photo, voice, job, height, and hobbies. “You know if they’re called Sven and they’ve got blonde hair, and they’re 6 ft 4… that’s far more attractive than a donor that looks like me,” says male fertility expert Professor Allan Pacey.
This high demand for a select few donors, combined with the lack of international coordination, means one man’s genetic material can be shipped from a bank in Denmark to clinics in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and beyond. Each country follows its own rules—some limit births per donor, others limit the number of families—but there is no overarching system to tally the global total.
The Human Impact: An “Ethical Minefield”
The consequences are profound and deeply human. Children conceived through donation may one day discover they are one of hundreds of half-siblings. Some find this distressing, while others are curious. Donors, too, are often unaware of the scale of their biological offspring.
These realities are amplified by direct-to-consumer DNA ancestry tests and social media, which allow for unmediated connections. In the UK, donor anonymity has been removed, allowing children to learn their biological father’s identity at 18.
“The implications of using sperm so widely is a ‘vast’ ethical minefield,” says Dr. John Appleby, a medical ethicist at Lancaster University. He cites issues of identity, privacy, consent, and dignity, calling it a “balancing act” between competing needs.
Calls for Change and the Threat of a Black Market
In response to the investigation, Belgian officials have urged the European Commission to establish a continent-wide donor registry. The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology has proposed a limit of 50 families per donor across the EU—a system that could still result in over 100 children if those families have multiple kids.
However, implementing global rules is notoriously difficult. Critics like Ole Schou warn that over-regulation could simply drive desperate families toward a “private, totally unregulated market,” which could be far riskier.
The fertility industry stands at a crossroads. It fulfills a profound human desire for parenthood for singles, same-sex couples, and those facing infertility. Yet, as it scales into a multi-billion euro business, the call for greater oversight and ethical responsibility grows louder. The question now is whether nations can cooperate to protect the children, donors, and families at the heart of this very modern story of creation.
