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The Bureau of Biomedicine Relaunches the “Be a Parent” Campaign
Table of Contents
September 5, 2024
The Bureau of Biomedicine is relaunching the “Be a Parent” campaign in response to the growing demand for sperm and oocytes. Biomedical institutions will embark on the Tour de France for the first time on September 18, 2024, in search of new gamete donors to meet the increasing demand for assisted reproduction.
Not Enough Donors
As of the end of 2023, 7,600 women were waiting for sperm donation: 44% of them were single women, 38% were in lesbian couples, and 18% were in heterosexual couples. Stable donor numbers are insufficient to meet these new needs. Marine Jin Tae, a representative from the Bureau, explained, “We have an average of 700 sperm donors per year and we need to double that number. With a population of 18 million eligible, this goal is not out of reach.”
Events will be held from September 18 to October 11 in 10 cities with Cecos (Sperm Research and Preservation Centers). From Caen to Clermont-Ferrand, from Bondi to Lille, paramedics will explain the entire donation process. Haiyang Zhentai, a director within the Bureau, stated, “The idea is to hold people’s hands and lead them to the donation center.” Research indicates that there are two groups of people who are more willing to donate: young people aged 18-25 and parents who have recently given birth. “We will engage with young people where they are, in college, and in vibrant urban neighborhoods,” added Zhentai.
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A Child Alone
Nathalie, a 42-year-old administrative manager, decided to have a baby on her own and registered with Cecos. This decision followed the passage of the law in June 2021, which allowed PMA available to all women. “Everything happened very quickly: I sent an email in October 2021 and in December 2022, my pregnancy test came back positive,” testifies the mother of a one-year-old boy.
Applicants will receive support in order of arrival, regardless of their family status or age. If there was no sperm shortage before the law, the time limit for PMA for a first attempt at sperm donation is currently 16 months.
Margaux Gandelon, President of the Mam’en Solo Association, stated: “The cost for women to go abroad is higher than in France, and the PMA reimbursement in France is 100%. By waiting, they lose the chance to have a child or a second child.”
Diversify Donations
The agency also hopes to increase the diversity of its giving. “For example, a couple of African or Asian descent might want a child that looks like them, but our donors are primarily white.”
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Understanding the Dynamics of Gamete Donation in France
In 2023, more women donated eggs (890) compared to men who donated sperm (676). The egg donation process is more intricate; it requires daily hormone injections for twelve consecutive days, followed by a surgical procedure for egg retrieval in a hospital setting.
After March 31, 2025, Cecos will transition to utilizing only gametes from consenting donors, allowing children to learn their donor’s identifying or non-identifying information once they reach adulthood. To prepare for this shift, the biomedical agency is organizing a nationwide collection of 32,500 straws from existing stocks by March 2024. Ms. Zhentai assures, “We believe they will be used by 2025.”
Children conceived from these gametes won’t have the same guaranteed access to donor identity as those conceived from donations made since September 2022. Dr. Bérengère Ducrocq, Director of Cecos de Lille, emphasizes, “The ideal situation would be that every child has the same chance of being exposed to their origin, but we don’t want to destroy these gametes and not using them means making the female wait longer.”
Interestingly, the agency has reported that the removal of anonymity has not led to a decline in the number of gamete donors, countering the concerns of many caregivers.
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t for obtaining a donor was around six months. However, with the current shortage of donors, it may take longer to connect with a suitable donor.
Nathalie's journey is just one of many similar stories that highlight the increasing need for sperm donations. “While I knew the process could be lengthy, I never anticipated the level of demand that would emerge post-legislation,” she stated. As a single mother, she feels grateful for the opportunities that assisted reproduction has provided her.
The Bureau of Biomedicine aims to not only increase the number of donors but also raise awareness about the importance of sperm and egg donation. The campaign seeks to destigmatize donation and encourage more individuals and couples to consider becoming donors, especially in light of the changing social structures surrounding family creation.
"We want to remind people that their contribution can make a significant difference in helping others to start their families. Every single donation counts," emphasized Marine Jin Tae.
the "Be a Parent" campaign and the associated efforts are crucial steps in addressing the gap in donor availability and providing hope for those looking to conceive through assisted reproduction methods.
