Have Sperm, Will Travel

Looking at this article on The Daily Beast, you would think the traditional sperm banks are heading for extinction. Maybe it’s a Millennial thing but it seems more women attempting pregnancy are actually seeking guys online for a ‘traditional’ encounter instead of using the banking system.

I suppose there are a couple reasons for this. First, you can’t beat the price – Free. This compares to hundreds of dollars – sometimes thousands – that sperm banks charge. And then there is that face-to-face thing. It’s one thing to see a photo or stats of your donor, it is something else to actually roll with them in the sack.

So if the potential mothers are saving lots of money, what’s in it for the potential fathers? If you are a guy, you already know the answer. Think about it… Traveling all over the country (world?) meeting up with women for a no-commitment liaison and picking up frequent flier miles along the way. Heck, if you are really popular, you may even earn airline/hotel elite status. On the other hand, men should be aware that if in fact their encounter results in a pregnancy, they may be liable for child support regardless of any agreement between the couple. However, if they can pay their support through a credit card, at least there is the potential for earning some points and other benefits.

I may jest about the miles and points aspect, but obviously there are significant risks to the potential mother. At least the sperm banks (supposedly) perform some serious due diligence on their donors. They check things like DNA and blood very carefully, as well as include a full medical background of the donor. Without those safeguards, women are left to trusting the men. Like I said, maybe this is a Millennial thing because I could not imagine taking risks like this to bring a life into this world.

Where do women find possible donors? Not surprising, social media is a good place to begin but there are also websites dedicated to bringing people together.

What woman would actually do this? As a female myself, I understand things like the joy of childbirth and the ticking biological clock. That said, I would hope my daughter would never even consider something like this. Wealthy women would definitely avoid it because to them, there would be no discount they would consider when it comes to their potential child. That pretty much leaves women who otherwise can not afford to use the bank system but desire to give birth and raise a child.

Of course, there are moral, ethical, and legal issues with this but that is a post for another day.