Limiting donor conceptions to six: Time for change

Abstract

In terms of the Regulations Relating to the Artificial Fertilisation of Persons (R.175) of the National Health Act, when gametes are removed or withdrawn from the body of a gamete donor, this is done for the purpose of artificial fertilisation. In the Regulations, artificial fertilisation is defined as '... the introduction by other than natural means of a male gamete or gametes into the internal reproductive organs of a female person for the purpose of human reproduction ...'. All information regarding the donated gametes is to be stored in an electronic central databank. No further gametes can be removed or withdrawn from the body of a donor once six children have been conceived through artificial fertilisation using the gametes of that donor. If a competent person involved in this aspect of reproductive medicine is informed or suspects that the maximum number of conceptions have occurred, s/he must make the donor aware of this and in addition must inform the donor that s/he may not make any further donation of gametes. This information must also be relayed to the central databank. A competent person is defined very broadly as a medical practitioner specialising in gynaecology with training in reproductive medicine, or a medical scientist, medical technologist or clinical technologist with training in reproductive biology and related laboratory procedures.