Foreign sperm more expensive
Photo: AP
Sperm donations become new import trend
Shortage in Israeli sperm donors leads sperm banks to import donations from abroad. However, some say risks are involved. 'When you import sperm you don't actually know what you are getting,' says Dr. Madjar of Sheba Medical Center
Israeli men have stopped donating sperm, and women in need of donations are forced to wait in line for increasingly long periods. The crisis has led to the growth of a new field of import – sperm donation.
The shortage in sperm donations in recent years is felt globally, as well as in Israel. The decline in donations stems from several reasons – the concern over a breach of the donor's anonymity and possible legal responsibilities over the child, the fear of incest marriages, and even the low pay donors receive, currently estimated at between NIS 300-600 (about $78-$156) per donation.
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Due to shortage in local donors, several hospitals across the country have begun importing sperms from overseas donors.
The Health Ministry has been approving sperm imports under limited conditions for almost a decade – especially for haredi couples who need non-Jewish sperm in order to prevent a possibility of incest marriage – but officials in the field said the phenomenon had become wide spread.
Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer began importing sperm from Spain and the United States. "Women want the donation right here, right now," said Dr. Igal Madjar, who is the hospital's sperm bank director.
"In some cases they are concerned about the rabbinate and the problems that may arise ahead of a wedding. All these intimidations place a lot of stress on them, and on us as well," he said.
'Professional risks involved'
"I present to the patient all the available options," said Dr. Madjar, "And those who want to become pregnant right away choose the import option."While using local donations costs between NIS 400-800 (about $105-210), a donation from abroad is far more expensive. However, foreign donations often come with a picture of the donor, along with his profile – a feature that is unavailable in Israel due to the need to maintain the donor's anonymity.
Either way, Health Ministry regulations prevent regular sperm imports, only allowing it in the case of specific requests.
The new field of import may resolve the shortage in donations, but creates new problems as well. "We don't initiate the import process because there are professional risks involved," noted Dr. Madjar.
"First and foremost, the fact that there is no proper registry of the donors. Yael from Haifa can buy sperm from a donor whose sperm was sold to Anat from Jerusalem a day earlier, and we may never know about it," he said.
Dr. Madjar noted that the sperm bank must be carefully selected. "Today most donations are bought from Europe, but nobody has control over who buys what, and where.
"In addition, while in Israel you can supervise the donations you have, when you import sperm you take a risk by not actually knowing what you are getting," he explained.
According to Health Ministry regulations, sperm donations can only be imported through licensed sperm banks in Israel, who are in touch with licensed and credible sperm banks abroad.
Each donation is carefully reviewed and is given an import license from the Ministry of Health. "You can't have women privately approach foreign sperm banks and import sperm by themselves," Dr. Madjar noted.
In a statement issued in response, the Health Ministry said: "In principle, we object the import of genetic material from abroad, and especially commercial import of large and unrestricted quantities. However, when there is a need, especially within haredi circles, to use non-Jewish sperm – it was decided to allow sperm imports under certain conditions, such as only through licensed sperm banks that are supervised by the country in which they operate, and comply with the strict donor screening process."
Bat-Chen Epstein Elias contributed to this report
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