RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Sperm donor suffers years later from inherited disease
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 213
OP 214
DO 10.1136/jme.28.4.213
VO 28
IS 4
A1 Gebhardt, D O E
YR 2002
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/28/4/213.abstract
AB A case is described of a man who discovered years after donating sperm for artificial insemination, that he had a serious genetic disease, autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (ADCA). This manifests itself only years after puberty and occurs in 50% of the progeny. The sperm had been used for the conception of 18 children in 13 women. The parents were only told three years after the insemination. This long time interval was unavoidable since many of the parents had to be found and the hospital director wished first to discuss the matter with his legal advisors and other experts. In future, in agreement with the new law only 10 inseminations will take place with sperm from one donor. This will reduce still further the availability of donor sperm.