Donor babies are as healthy as babies conceived conventionally, study of nearly 200,000 UK pregnancies shows

Babies born with a sperm donor are just as healthy as babies conceived conventionally with a male partner, according to the largest study of its kind.

Research has even shown that sperm donor babies actually have a lower risk of being born prematurely or underweight.

The study found that sperm donor twins have a higher risk than twins conceived by a partner – but they are even less likely to have low birth weight.

The study analyzed data from more than 200,000 UK pregnancies registered by the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority at 100 fertility clinics.

While sperm donation has been available in the UK for decades, the number of IVF treatments using donor sperm has tripled in the past decade to around 5,500 a year – an explosion believed to have been fueled by the growing desire for parenthood among single people. women are turned on by people in same-sex relationships (photo taken by the model)

All babies born between 1991 and 2016 were conceived with fertility treatments in women with at least one fertility problem.

The findings contradict previous research that linked sperm donor pregnancies to an increased risk of high blood pressure and preeclampsia – a potentially life-threatening condition associated with premature birth.

The researchers theorized that problems arise because donor sperm must be frozen for up to six months to check for infection – unlike partner semen, which is fresh and therefore of higher quality, and the study will help address this. , which explains the increasing number. of women who become pregnant using sperm donors. be reassured.

While sperm donation has been available in the UK for decades, the number of IVF treatments using donor sperm has tripled in the past decade to around 5,500 a year – an explosion believed to have been fueled by the growing desire for parenthood among single people. women will be fueled in same-sex relationships.

Sperm is available from the NHS or private sperm banks and can be imported from abroad.

Commenting on their findings, researchers from the University of Aberdeen and Aberdeen Fertility Center behind the study said: “Women, couples, clinicians and policy makers can be reassured that although donor sperm is the only option for some to conceive, perinatal outcomes do doesn’t seem to be worse.’

The only downside to using donor sperm was an increased risk of having larger babies, potentially making birth more difficult.