Nearly 200 children conceived from sperm donor with increased cancer risk

FILE: Sperm donor

Kindly share this story:

A sperm donor, who is an asymptomatic carrier of a genetic mutation increasing the risk of cancer, was used to conceive nearly 200 children worldwide, Denmark’s public broadcaster revealed Wednesday.

“At least 197 children were born thanks to the sperm of an anonymous Danish donor using the alias Kjeld before the sperm bank discovered a serious genetic abnormality,” public broadcaster DR reported.

According to DR, Denmark’s European Sperm Bank, one of the largest in the world, was alerted in April 2020 that a child conceived via donation and diagnosed with cancer carried a genetic mutation.

It then tested a sample of the donor’s sperm, but the screening did not detect the rare TP53 mutation.

Sales of the sperm, which had been suspended during testing, then resumed.

Three years later, the sperm bank was informed of at least one other child conceived from a donation with the mutation that had developed cancer.

It then tested several samples, which showed that the donor carried the gene, though he was healthy. The use of his sperm was then blocked in late October 2023.

Between 2006 and 2022, the man’s sperm was sold to 67 clinics in 14 countries. In Denmark alone, 99 children were fathered by the donor.

“The specific mutation is a rare and previously undescribed TP53 mutation that is only found in a small part of the donor’s sperm cells and not in the rest of the body, as the donor himself is not affected,” the sperm bank said in a statement.

It could not be detected by prior genetic screening, and not all children conceived from the donor have the mutation, the company insisted.

The company says it has been involved in the births of more than 70,000 children worldwide over two decades.

Many European countries have regulations limiting the number of children per donor, but there are no international regulations governing the number of children a donor can father across borders.

At the end of 2022, the European Sperm Bank set a maximum of 75 families per donor.

AFP

Kindly share this story:

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25Million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, 👉 click here to find out how it work (Be sure to ask for evidence of clients that have benefitted from this)

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!

Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.