sperm donors

Not some tawdry tabloid story about rampant polygamy, the recent New York Times story, "One Sperm Donor, 150 Offspring" tells the story of 20-year-old Ryan — born using donor sperm — and his 150 biological half-siblings. It's no secret that donating sperm is — ahem — less complicated than harvesting a woman's egg, and with no definitive regulations in place to limit the number of offspring produced from one donor, the number of children conceived with sperm from one donor is essentially limitless.

Groups like the Donor Sibling Registry are exposing the truth about this traditionally secretive industry, and it's pretty scary. Fertility is clearly big business these days, but critics have raised concerns that if left unchecked . . . the record numbers of half siblings could potentially result in an increase of — yikes! — accidental incest.

If you used donor sperm, how much would you want to know — or share with your child — about his conception and biological siblings?

It seems The Back-up Plan is on everyone's mind! Tearyeyed shared this question in the Birth Stories group.

I am 26 years old and it doesn't look like there is going to be a guy in my life anytime soon. I have never wanted anything more than to be a mom. So my thinking was to possibly use a donor and have a child but it worries me about what could happen in the future with getting in a relationship with someone. I wouldn't think anything different if I had a baby with someone else but I don't know if guys would see me a desperate just because I used a donor instead of having a guy there. So can anyone offer any advice either from a guy's perspective or if you have gone through it. Thanks!

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I'd like my son to look like Brad Pitt please. A Los Angeles-based sperm bank is stretching the potential of star power by listing the celebrities that donors look the most like. They also link to pictures of the actors, singers and designers in their donor profiles. According to California Cryobank, the question most frequently asked by female clients is who the donor looks like and through their Look-A-Like program, potential mothers have a better idea of what characteristics their child may have. Since beginning the program, web traffic has increased significantly. I'm curious who and what decide the resemblance factor.

If you could choose, which celeb would you want your child to look like?