Abstract
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), such as Donor-assisted Insemination (DI) relying on anonymous sperm donors, has been used in Japan since the 1940s. Moreover, recent demographic changes such as delayed marriage and childbearing are contributing to increased demand for donor eggs from abroad. However, no official system for the collection and recording of gamete donors has existed in Japan until now. The objective of the present study was to examine the attitudes of infertile female patients toward two issues: 1) the disclosure of genetic information to their children born through donor assisted insemination and 2) the right of those children to know about their genetic origin. Data were collected from 740 infertile female Japanese patients via questionnaires distributed through 70 accredited ART clinics in Japan (response rate: 29.1%). In summary, infertile female patients in the present study preferred maintaining donor anonymity. On the other hand, they also believed that children have a right to know about their genetic origin if they so desire. The following regulations regarding donor-assisted conception were suggested. First, the relationship between donor and recipient should be defined by law. Second, the social stigma attached to use of a donor should be eliminated to make it easier for parents to disclose this information. Third, a donor registry system should be established to enable children to know whether they were born as a result of gamete donation or not, and if so, to obtain donor’s information in the absence of disclosure by their parents.
Highlights
Assisted reproductive technology (ART), such as donor-assisted insemination (DI) relying on anonymous sperm donors, has been available since the 1940s, and it is assumed that tens of thousands of children throughout the world have been born through these procedures
The present study examined the attitudes of infertile Japanese female patients toward 1) the disclosure of genetic information to their children born through donorassisted insemination and 2) the right of these children to know about their genetic origin
During the decades in which donor insemination (DI) using anonymous sperm donors has been practiced in Japan, thousands of children have been born though this procedure
Summary
Assisted reproductive technology (ART), such as donor-assisted insemination (DI) relying on anonymous sperm donors, has been available since the 1940s, and it is assumed that tens of thousands of children throughout the world have been born through these procedures. Anonymous DI has been occurring in Japan since the late 1940s, the use of egg donation has been a more recent development, beginning in 1983. Recent demographic changes such as later marriage and delayed childbearing are contributing to increased demand for donor eggs from abroad. In Japan, a 2003 government report recognized the right of children born via donor-assisted conception to know about their genetic origin, including identifying information about the donor [2]. This right has not been enacted into law
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