Stupid Word Choices...

Somehow I find myself watching The Back-Up Plan with Jennifer Lopez.  In this flick she uses a sperm donor and is pregnant with twins. She then meets a great guy and fall in love.  By chance he is her sperm donor.  Anyhow at one point he states the twins she is carrying are not his. The stupid word choice.  She gets scared he wants to walk away and dumps him.  Being a romantic comedy you know they eventually get back together.

The truth is every DI Dad has stupidly said these words before the baby was born.  There has not been a day after my kids were born that I have thought that.  They are my kids.  Hadn't been here in a while so figured wanted to check in.

Did We Roll The Genetic Dice ?

On May 14, 2012, The New York Times ran an article titled "In Choosing a Sperm Donor, A Roll of the Genetic Dice".  The article details the plight of several families whose children due possibly to a lack of testing or screening developed diseases that possibly are due to the donor's sperm.  It is another of the NYT articles on the topic written over the years that I feel couples planning / considering using donor insemination should read before going down this path.


I say it is a must read not so much to scare anyone away from this family building option but moreso that the couple thinks about what questions to ask the cryobank before buying vials of sperm.  Those questions may be different for each couple.


My own feelings are that the questions should include the following:


(1) Does the donor bio state what tests were run on the sample?
(2) Does the cryobank publicly list what tests are run on each donor and thesamples taken?(3) When was the donor sperm donated ? and was it donated to this bank directlyor to a previous bank?


The article has opened up a debate on the DI Dads Yahoo Group regarding the veracity of documentation of issues resulting from the lack of testing of donor sperm.  For many diseases to manifest themselves it would take both the donor and the mother to carry the traits or genes for the disease.  Even if a donor was found to be carrier, who knows if the couple trying to have the children is even aware if the mother might be a carrier as well.




I am not sure how anything can be statistically proven unless more families are encouraged to report live births and/or issues back to their cryobanks or a central registry.   People value their privacy and regulation and legislation are seen as impeding on privacy which is another roadblock to effective reporting of issue beyond simple (or not so simple) testing of the donor at the source. 


Again I offer the article as another resource for issues that should be discussed.  So far the roll of the dice my ex and I took regarding our children has turned out lucky sevens so far.  G-d willing that won't change as they grow older.

Drug Store Chain To Sell OTC Sperm Test

I admit I am curious. I don't feel the need to purchase the test myself and take the test but I am curious. My need to have kids, biologically or otherwise, I believe is done. Maybe if I were to remarry but doubtful. But I am curious I admit. What are your thoughts?

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-07/sperm-test-at-walgreen-seen-plugging-infertility-gap-retail.html

Scientists Grow Sperm in Laboratory Dish

Interesting article. Certainly encouraging. Not sure how I feel about the germ cells being hosted by a live mouse.

I'd be concerned that my son could be Stuart Little if they could not assure me that the human sperm retrieved would include no mouse cells. Shades of Jurasic Park concerns. But science is amazing.

Who would have thoughts years ago that even ICSI was possible and successful. So someday I am sure this or a variant will be an option.

Happy 2012 !

Happy New Year ! Welcome to 2012 !

Well the kids are in bed sound asleep after staying up to see the ball drop. It was just us and they were plenty cranky at the end. Nothing special just a night of board games, Chinese food, they called their mom at 11:30pm, and fighting over what TV to watch. again nothing crazy.

I did take them swimming for about an hour and a half earlier in the afternoon which they really loved. The young lifeguard was very amused by the kids and even commented how much my daughter looks like me. I simply said thank you and smiled. I don't think anyone has ever said that about my daughter before. I was amused. That simple statement never fails to amuse me.

Time for me to get to bed. Even though I am sure these kids will sleep in tomorrow I am sure I will want to sleep later and must be ready for them.

Good night and again Happy New Year !