As in vitro fertilization becomes more normalized around the world, there is also an increased demand for white donors in Asia. Caucasian skin is considered highly desirable in many non-European countries, and many women in countries such as India and China also require sperm donors to have a Western appearance.
The trend, recently highlighted by Red Ice TV, has been going on for more than a decade and Indian media, including doctors, report that women are keen to have white and blue-eyed children if possible.
– Couples who come for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) list out specifications – the egg or sperm donor should be educated, fair, have blue eyes, IVF expert Rita Bakshi explained in 2013, adding that about 70 percent of clients ask for a fair-skinned donor.
This is despite the fact that so-called “designer babies” are very expensive and require significantly more paperwork and approvals than regular IVF. As recently as 11 years ago, a European donor could charge up to $5,000 for his sperm if he was well educated and in good physical health.
Manish Banker, who runs an Indian fertility clinic, confirms that there is a “rising trend” in the search for fair-skinned donors and that “couples usually usually ask for donors with blue or brown eyes”.
– We are so grateful that our daughter Vani is as white as milk. There is no denying that it is easier to get fair girls married, said a woman named Suresh who underwent IVF treatment, and another explained that she wanted a fair-skinned child because she had married into a fair-skinned family.
Same trend in China
Legislation varies from country to country. Some Western countries prohibit donors from demanding financial compensation, while others have no regulations at all on how much they can charge.
The same trend can be seen in China, where wealthy Chinese women are increasingly choosing white sperm donors to have children “on their own” – so much so that the Danish sperm bank Cryos International has created a website entirely in Chinese – and even hired staff who speak the language.
Peter Reeslev, CEO of Cryos International, says that “Chinese women tend to choose white donors” – although it is unclear whether this is due to a shortage of Chinese donors. In China, regulations around in vitro fertilization are much stricter, and sperm banks are primarily used to “treating infertility and preventing genetic diseases” – which may be one reason why many are turning to the West instead.
However, other experts state that Chinese women prefer white sperm donors, regardless of the other options available, and that it is very common for them to specifically request a white donor, while it is very rare for them to request a Chinese donor. Several women also state that they “prefer” their babies to be light-skinned.
Danish fertility clinics have been singled out as particularly popular because they offer their “clients” a variety of options – in addition to eye color, ethnicity, hair color and posture, you can also see the donor’s baby pictures, handwriting and hear her voice before making your decision.
Denmark – a world leader
Founded in 1987 in Aarhus, Denmark, Cryos International describes itself as “the largest sperm bank in the world” – and its focus is on the international market. Last year, 60% of all sperm used in Dutch fertility clinics came from Denmark, and 6 out of 10 children born to donors in Belgium have Danish biological fathers. In the UK, 20% of donated sperm comes from Denmark and it is estimated that a total of 90% of all sperm donated in Denmark is then shipped to other EU countries.
The company says it currently has around 1,000 available donors to choose from in the country, where more than 1% of all babies are now born through in vitro fertilization. Cryos officials say there is no longer a “taboo” around IVF treatments in Denmark and that the practice has “become part of our culture”.
The lack of regulation allows Cryos to advertise on Instagram, YouTube and other social media, targeting young men for recruitment. Those selected are then paid around the equivalent of €40 per donation session, and there is currently said to be such a surplus of volunteers that the sperm bank can screen out 95% of applicants.
