The Impact of DNA Testing on Sperm Donation – A Personal Story and Legal Changes
Unexpected Connections: The Story of Michael B. Greene, PhD
In 2018, Michael B. Greene, PhD, received a life-changing letter that turned his world upside down. A woman had reached out to him claiming to be his biological daughter, conceived through his sperm donation in the 1970s. This shocking revelation led to a series of events that not only changed Greene’s life but also highlighted the profound impact of DNA testing on the world of sperm donation.
For decades, Greene had never imagined that his anonymous sperm donations would lead to such unexpected connections and life-changing discoveries. However, with the advent of home DNA testing in the early 2000s, his world was forever altered. The emergence of DNA testing technology enabled a woman conceived through his sperm to track down her biological father, ultimately leading to a heartwarming reunion with Greene and her other biological siblings.
Legal Changes in Sperm and Egg Donations
As technology continues to make these types of discoveries inevitable, legal systems are also finding ways to evolve with the times. In 2022, Colorado became the first state to ban anonymous sperm and egg donations, with the law set to take effect in 2025. The new legislation requires sperm and egg banks to disclose information about donor identities upon request when a donor-conceived person turns 18. This move aligns with laws passed in countries such as the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and New Zealand.
The changes to anonymity policies reflect a growing recognition of the rights of donor-conceived individuals and their desire to locate their biological parents. This shift marks a significant transition in the legal landscape surrounding sperm and egg donations, emphasizing transparency and the acknowledgment of the identities of donors.
Adaptations in Sperm Banks and Donor Policies
Furthermore, sperm banks are also adapting to the changing landscape. Previously, anonymity contracts were prevalent in the culture of sperm donation. Today, however, some clinics still label donations as anonymous, despite the unrealistic nature of such claims. With increasing availability of genetic testing, clinics are reassessing their donor policies to align with the realities of DNA testing and uncovering donor identities.
Seattle Sperm Bank and California Cryobank are at the forefront of these adaptations, implementing “open identity” policies that require donors to commit to having contact with their donor-conceived children when they reach adulthood. These shifts in donor policies underscore a fundamental reorientation towards openness and transparency in the realm of sperm donation.
The Importance of Openness and Honesty
For many people, there remains a stigma associated with sperm donation, infertility, and insemination. This stigma can lead to secrecy and shame, which in turn can affect donor-conceived children who may not be aware of their origins until later in life. However, individuals like Wendy Kramer, who have firsthand experience with donor conception, emphasize the significance of openness and honesty.
Kramer’s advocacy for transparency stems from her own journey of raising a donor-conceived child and navigating the complexities of sperm donation. Her efforts to change the narrative around donor conception have led to the creation of the Donor Sibling Registry, a nonprofit organization that facilitates connections among donor siblings and their biological parents. As attitudes continue to shift, there is a growing call for openness and pride in the story of donor conception.
Embracing Unexpected Relationships
As the landscape of sperm donation undergoes transformative changes, individuals like Michael B. Greene have embraced the opportunity to build relationships with their donor-conceived offspring. Greene’s journey, which began with a life-altering letter in 2018, has led to meaningful connections with his biological children, enriching his life in ways he never anticipated.
His experience serves as a poignant reminder of the evolving nature of sperm donation and the profound impact of DNA testing on family relationships. As legal and ethical considerations continue to evolve, there is a growing recognition of the rights and desires of donor-conceived individuals to seek out their biological origins. Whether it’s through legislative changes or shifts in donor policies, the overarching theme is one of openness, transparency, and the acknowledgment of the diverse narratives within the realm of sperm donation.
Summary
The story of Michael B. Greene, PhD, and the legal changes in sperm and egg donations underscore the profound impact of DNA testing on the world of donor conception. Legal reforms, such as the ban on anonymous donations in Colorado and the adaptation of donor policies in sperm banks, reflect a growing recognition of the rights of donor-conceived individuals. Additionally, the importance of openness and honesty, as advocated by individuals like Wendy Kramer, highlights the evolving narrative surrounding donor conception. Embracing unexpected relationships and the transformative nature of DNA testing depict a shifting paradigm in the realm of sperm donation, emphasizing transparency and the multifaceted narratives within this domain.
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In 2018, Michael B. Greene, PhD, received a letter that took his breath away. A woman who could be his biological daughter was looking to connect.
I knew it was possible. In the 1970s, she donated sperm many times to earn some extra money as a graduate student in New York City. At that time, she had signed an anonymity contract. “Once in a while later, I thought that maybe I would run into someone on the streets of New York who looked like me,” says Greene, a developmental psychologist in Montclair, New Jersey. “That was the extent of my thinking.”
For decades nothing happened. In the early 2000s, home DNA testing became available. Greene's second cousin had shared his own DNA results on the testing company's website. Meanwhile, a woman conceived thanks to Greene's donated sperm had hired a genealogist to try to find her biological father. The genealogist saw Greene's cousin's DNA results and contacted him to ask if anyone in the family had lived in New York when he was in his 20s or 30s, back in the 1970s. The cousin gave them the name Greene. Greene was delighted to be found and agreed to undergo a paternity test, which confirmed the relationship.
Shortly after, Greene was reunited with the young woman and her sister, who was also conceived with Greene's donated sperm. They talked for hours. She has since met 13 of her other biological children and even organized a party attended by 10 of them. She smiles as she remembers them all playing a trivia game that revealed shared traits, such as stubbornness, introversion and a love of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. “It was just a really wonderful moment,” she says. “It was great to meet everyone.”
As technology makes these types of discoveries inevitable, legal systems are finding ways to evolve with the times. In 2022, Colorado became the first state to ban anonymous sperm and egg donations. The law will take effect in 2025. It requires sperm and egg banks to disclose information about donor identities upon request when a donor-conceived person turns 18. This is in line with laws passed in countries such as the United Kingdom, Austria and Germany. , Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and New Zealand. The changes to the anonymity policies are for a child conceived through donated sperm to locate the sperm donor, not for the sperm donor to search for children conceived through her sperm donation.
Sperm banks are also adapting. In the past, anonymity contracts were part of the culture. Today, some clinics still label donations as anonymous, even though that is unrealistic. “Donors cannot be promised anonymity at this time,” says Sean Tipton, a spokesman for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. “Banks can say, 'We won't reveal anything.' But that doesn't mean people won't find [the donor].”
Seattle Sperm Bank, which opened its doors in 2008, has always had an “open identity” policy, meaning donors commit to having at least one contact with the child when they turn 18 if the child requests it. “Our donors know they will be contacted,” says Angelo Allard, general supervisor of the Seattle Sperm Bank. “Will all descendants be contacted? Probably not.” But Allard sees “almost certainly” that at least one child would approach.
Allard says the increased availability of genetic testing prompted Seattle Sperm Bank to more intensively counsel donors (who earn up to $100 per usable sample) about the open ID policy. They also discuss the likelihood that a sperm donor can be contacted before the child turns 18, regardless of their contract, due to the availability of tools such as DNA testing, reverse image searches, social media, and Internet research. . He says these sessions prompt a small number of potential donors to decide not to donate. Still, the number of new donors at Seattle Sperm Bank increased 22% when comparing the years 2017-2020 and 2020-2023.
California Cryobank, based in Los Angeles, takes a similar approach: its sperm donors must agree to allow the organization to disclose their identifying information (such as their name, email, or last known address) to any descendants who request the information upon compliance. 18 years. “It's been years since we've accepted anonymous donors,” says Mike Large, who oversees the company's donation services. “I think anonymity or being anonymous almost comes with an implicit guarantee. And we cannot make those claims to our donors, as well as our recipients and donor-conceived people.”
A “significant” number of potential donors change their minds when they learn of the identity disclosure policy, Large says. But she believes attitudes around sperm donation are evolving and that enough donors will compensate those who choose not to donate. “Money is a part of it,” she says, “but they're really altruistic.”
For many people, there is still a stigma associated with sperm donation, as well as infertility and insemination. That can lead to secrecy and shame, which can then be passed on to the child, who may not even know he or she was donor-conceived until later in her life.
Wendy Kramer is working to change that. Her son, Ryan, was conceived with donor sperm and was born in 1990. She was honest with him about conceiving her from a young age. When Ryan was about 6 years old, she asked to meet his biological father. The sperm bank did not want to share any information. So around the year 2000, Kramer began connecting with other people like her and Ryan to create The registry of donor siblingsa nonprofit organization that has enabled more than 25,000 half-siblings and/or their donors to meet to date (including many of Greene's donor-conceived children).
In 2005, Kramer's son took a DNA test, leading mother and son to seek out and build a relationship with his biological father. To date, Wendy and Ryan Kramer have also identified 28 half-brothers and sisters. Kramer says many of those siblings were not told by their parents that they were donor-conceived and were caught off guard when they learned the truth through genetic testing. “There are families that are imploding. Children who are fighting. Trauma,” she says. “Some of [Ryan’s] The half-siblings thought it was a joke. They deleted emails from the half-siblings that said, “Someone is pranking people on 23andMe.” My parents didn't use a donor.'”
Kramer recommends that donor parents tell their children the truth before they can speak, and that sperm banks should allow connections at any age. Just as openness has increased around adoption, she would like to see that happen with donor conception. “So it's just a part of her story to be proud of,” she says.
In the past, when sperm donations were anonymous, the rights of the donor and recipient were paramount. Today, as donor-conceived children grow up in the Internet age, they want to be heard. They have founded non-profit organizations such as Council conceived by American donors and online communities like We are donor conceived to connect, raise awareness and defend your rights.
Every sperm donor will have different expectations of privacy and what it means today, and not all will be open to being contacted by children conceived from their donated sperm, especially if they did so under promises of anonymity. But some, like Greene, seize the opportunity to build relationships with people who started their sperm donation decades ago. He encourages other sperm donors to at least be open to connecting with their donor-conceived offspring if the child comes forward. She maintains different levels of closeness with each of the children she has met, depending on what each one wants.
“I think donors should not be forceful about wanting to be in the child's life, but just be open to getting to know them and being as supportive as possible,” Greene says. “She has greatly enriched my life. “I can’t imagine my life without these kids.”
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