2024-10-31 15:13:00
October 31, 2024
This Saturday, November 2 marks World Fertility Day. On this subject, the bioethics law was amended in 2022, granting people born from gamete donation the right to access the identity of the donor. Has this discouraged sperm donors? A study shows that this is not the case. What is their profile?
The bioethics law of August 2, 2021 (article L. 2143-2) grants adults born from medically assisted procreation (AMP or PMA) with a third party donor (i.e. from a donation gametes – sperm or oocytes – or embryos) the right to access the latter’s data.
What has the 2021 bioethics law changed?
In other words, this notion of partially anonymous donation now allows people resulting from a gamete donation to access, when they reach the age of majority, non-identifying data (family and professional situation, physical characteristics, general condition and motivations for the donation). , in particular) as well as the identity of the third party donor. However, gamete donation remains free, voluntary and anonymous.
Other changes have been made by law: medically assisted procreation is now accessible to everyone, including female couples and single women, in the same way as male-female couples. New age limits for sperm donation have been established, setting the range between 18 and 44 years inclusive. Furthermore, the possibility of self-preservation of gametes has been implemented.
Repercussions on the number of donors?
To measure the impact of the 2021 law on the recruitment of gamete donors, a study was carried out within the federation of CECOS (Centers for the Study and Conservation of Human Eggs and Sperm), which compared two reference years: 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic (to avoid bias linked to this turbulent period), and 2023, to assess the effects of the new regime.
And finally, the lifting of donor anonymity does not seem to have discouraged candidates for sperm donation: their number has even clearly increased with, out of the 17 CECOS, 610 donations in 2023 compared to 348 in 2019. The observed figures do not show no significant reluctance linked to the partial lifting of the anonymity of the donation.
What is the profile of new donors?
The study reveals that new donors are very slightly younger, with an average age of 35 years compared to 35.7 years previously. The majority of candidates did not have children at the time of their donation. This proportion is even more marked among new donors, with only 37.7% having at least one child, compared to 46.2% in 2019.
Furthermore, 48.9% of candidates are single, a figure similar to that before. The majority of them are of Caucasian origin.
Why do they give?
Sperm donations before vasectomies have increased, to 8.2% in 2023 compared to 6.3% in 2019.
The motivations for sperm donation are mostly spontaneous, for 66.3% of donations in 2023 compared to 54.2% in 2019. Before 2021, most donors were recruited by male-female couples facing male infertility, but this situation decreased considerably among new applicants, going from 36.1% to 11.3%. On the other hand, donations for female couples increased, reaching 10.7% compared to 1.3% previously.
In addition, the new donors are characterized in 2023 by a greater representation of higher intellectual professions, managers, intermediate professions and employees, as well as an increased proportion of students (perhaps due to communications from CECOS in universities).
Finally, some reassuring news: no difference was observed between these two periods concerning the number of “progressive motile spermatozoa”, in other words operational spermatozoa.
As a reminder, as of December 31, 2022, nearly 5,650 people were waiting for a sperm donation. There are more and more candidates for donations, but still insufficient to meet needs. To find out more: see dedicated siteby the Biomedicine Agency.
Source: Presentation by Dr Puy Vincent at the 29th FFER days (BREST 25/27 September 24); Biomedicine Agency; OJ 08/27/22; bioethics law of August 2, 2021 (article L. 2143-2)
Written by: Hélène Joubert; Edited by Emmanuel Ducreuzet
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**Interview on World Fertility Day: Understanding the Impact of the 2021 Bioethics Law on Gamete Donation**
**Date: October 31, 2024**
**Interviewer (I):** Today, we’re discussing the impact of the amended bioethics law on gamete donation, especially in light of World Fertility Day this Saturday. Joining us is Dr. Marie Lemoine, a leading expert in reproductive ethics. Welcome, Dr. Lemoine.
**Dr. Lemoine (D):** Thank you for having me!
**I:** To begin, can you explain the key changes introduced by the bioethics law in 2021?
**D:** Certainly! The law allows individuals born from gamete donation to access non-identifying information about their donors when they reach adulthood. This includes details such as family background, physical characteristics, and reasons for donation. The donor’s identity can also be disclosed, although the donation remains fundamentally anonymous and voluntary.
**I:** How has this legislation affected the number of sperm donors?
**D:** Interestingly, it seems the law has not discouraged donors at all. In fact, a study from the CECOS centers shows a notable increase in donor numbers: 610 donations in 2023 compared to 348 in 2019. This indicates that the partial lifting of anonymity hasn’t turned potential donors away.
**I:** That’s encouraging news. What can you tell us about the profile of new donors?
**D:** The newly recruited donors tend to be slightly younger—averaging 35 years compared to 35.7 years previously. Importantly, many of them are now childless at the time of donation, with a lower percentage of them having children than in previous years. Additionally, nearly half of the donors are single, which is consistent with prior trends.
**I:** What motivates these individuals to donate sperm?
**D:** Many motivations stem from altruism. We found that about 66.3% of donations in 2023 were spontaneous—an increase from 54.2% in 2019. There’s also been an increase in sperm donations prior to vasectomies, indicating that some donors may want to preserve their fertility for potential future use.
**I:** This law not only opens up access to information but also reflects changes in societal attitudes toward family and reproduction. What broader implications do you see arising from this shift?
**D:** Absolutely. The changes in the law reflect a growing recognition of the rights of those conceived through donation. It emphasizes the importance of transparency in reproductive technologies. As society evolves, policies must adapt to ensure that all individuals, including donor-conceived persons, can understand their origins.
**I:** Thank you, Dr. Lemoine, for sharing your insights today. It’s a pivotal time for reproductive rights, and we appreciate your expertise.
**D:** Thank you! It’s been a pleasure discussing this important topic.
