Reasons of shortage for donated sperm and plan to resolve deficiencies in the sperm donor system
10.5124/jkma.2018.61.7.408
- Author:
Nam Cheol PARK
1
Author Information
1. Department of Urology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Pusan, Korea. pnc@pusan.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Sperm banks;
Sperm donation;
Standard operation statements;
Artificial insemination
- MeSH:
Air Pollution;
Bioethics;
Birth Rate;
Family Characteristics;
Fertility;
Fertilization in Vitro;
Humans;
Infant, Newborn;
Insemination, Artificial;
Korea;
Marriage;
Population Density;
Pregnancy;
Reproduction;
Sperm Banks;
Spermatozoa;
Tissue Donors
- From:Journal of the Korean Medical Association
2018;61(7):408-415
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Sperm banking from recruited donors is an important way to help infertile couples who want to achieve pregnancy by therapeutic artificial insemination, even in the era of in vitro fertilization. Korea has the lowest population density of newborns among all Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, with a total fertility rate of 1.17 and an annual birth rate of 300,000 or less as of 2017. This situation emerged due to various causes, including late marriage, fecundity problems, and air pollution. Nevertheless, we have imposed strict limits on basic research and clinical activities, including the operation of sperm banks, in the field of human reproduction under the 2005 Bioethics and Safety Act. Therefore, cryopreserved sperm for artificial insemination is almost absent in the sperm banks of major human reproduction centers. To resolve this difficult situation, as well as to increase the operation of sperm banks in Korea to the global standard level, the author evaluates the underlying reasons for donor sperm use by azoospermic patients from medical, ethical, legal, religious, and cultural perspectives, and then proposes a plan to resolve this situation including highly regulated standard operating procedures to ensure comprehensive safety practices for voluntary sperm donors and infertile couples, as well as to build an ideal sperm donation program.
