Do Fathers Matter?
Each year, an estimated 30,000-60,000 children are born in this country via artificial insemination, but the number is only an educated guess. Neither the fertility industry nor any other entity is required to report on these statistics…
What difference does that make?
Regardless of socioeconomic status, donor offspring are twice as likely as those raised by biological parents to report problems with the law before age 25. They are more than twice as likely to report having struggled with substance abuse. And they are about 1.5 times as likely to report depression or other mental health problems.
As a group, the donor offspring in our study are suffering more than those who were adopted: hurting more, feeling more confused and feeling more isolated from their families. (And our study found that the adoptees on average are struggling more than those raised by their biological parents.)
Full article on the complex issues of sperm donation.
Does this account for those children who are not aware they are ‘donor babies?’ I wonder if it could make the case for abolition stronger by noting the differences in children who are under the impression that they’ve been adopted and those who are told they are the products of sperm donation.
I’m not sure what to make of this. I assume couples suffering from male infertility, who exhaust other methods before turning to a donor, are happy with the results.
However, I could easily imagine a more stressful environment in the households of would-be single mothers who turns to donated sperm out of fear their opportunities to bear children may pass before finding a suitable mate.
I would rather be the product of donor sperm than purely adoption. At least I would share DNA with one of my parents.
I think fathers matter.
A timely post, considering that many of us were focused on father-tributes of one type or another this weekend.
I can only speak from experience on this one. Yes, fathers matter. Mine has been the most influential person in my life. I am extremely lucky to still talk with him, get advice and trade bad puns.