Posted on 05/21/2006 11:55:33 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(CBS) CHICAGO It's a trend that some fear may have long-term consequences. More unmarried women over the age of 25 are not waiting for Mr. Right.
As CBS 2's Alita Guillen reports, these ladies are having children on their own.
The fantasy father at their fingertips is a sperm donor with all the right stuff.
Katherine Gehl and April Lashbrook had successful careers and dated, but they didn't have husbands. They heard their biological clocks ticking loudly.
"It was like a time bomb," April said.
"I need to go and have a baby and be a mother, and so I did," Katherine said.
Women used to depend on chemistry in the bedroom to conceive a child. Now, more and more women are turning to the lab and depending more on science than sex.
This twist on the mating game begins at a sperm bank, where donors can earn up to $900 a month.
"These guys are college students. This is a form of income," said California Cryobank Medical Director Dr. Cappy Rothman.
The sperm undergoes testing for diseases, genetic defects and blood type.
"Donor sperm, in many ways, is guaranteed good sperm," said Dr. Lauren Streicher, a gynecologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
When April chose her donor in 2003, she got a long profile including a medical history and even written answers to questions.
"I knew immediately that was who I was going to choose," she said.
Now, many banks offer much more, including childhood photos and the donors' voices on CD.
Once chosen, the sperm remains frozen and stored until needed. Then it can be shipped anywhere.
While women can inseminate themselves at home, both April and Katherine used fertility specialists.
Many of these donors have already proven their fertility.
"It's an excellent way of getting pregnant because you usually have men who have confirmed pregnancy," said Dr. Brian Kaplan, a fertility specialist with Fertility Clinics of Illinois.
"We are creating a real potential disaster here," said Elizabeth Marquardt with New York City's Affiliate Scholar Institute for American Values.
Some critics are concerned that as this practice becomes more popular, and that with an unknown number of children from the same donor, that two of them might unknowingly hook up.
"In the future, we will have to have a DNA test with anyone we want to have sex with just to make sure we're not related to them," Marquardt said.
Many sperm banks say they try to limit pregnancies based on geographic area to reduce that risk. However, in a transient society, it may be hard to do.
Critics also worry how this might change the definition of family.
"As a society, we're saying fathers don't matter," Marquardt said.
Thirteen-year-old Liz Herzog, whose father is donor number 1002 from Virginia's Fairfax Cryobank, says she's happy with her life.
"I can't even say that once in a while I wish I had a father, because I don't," she said.
Through the Donor Sibling Registry Web site, she has discovered at least 10 half-sibling and has met seven, including Callie from Pennsylvania.
Liz's mother, Diana, thinks these newly forged relationships will last a lifetime.
"You can only hope that your child will be well-adjusted and happy enough when they grow up that they won't feel that they're missing too much," Diana Herzog said.
April's daughter, Julia, is now almost three years old.
"When she was born, it was just amazing," April said.
Katherine's daughter, Alexandra, is eight months old.
Both are enjoying every moment motherhood has to offer.
"It is so much greater than I had any idea," Katherine said.
April, Julia's mom, knows of six half-siblings so far.
All of the single moms we spoke with think the possibility of meeting and dating a half-sibling is very remote because they are very open or plan to be open with their children.
It is interesting to note that back when sperm banks first opened in the 1970s, it was all married couples seeking sperm donors. Doctors say those couples were more likely to keep it secret.
I don't believe I am alone in blaming the socialist/lesbian dominated women's movement for this development, one that is probably viewed by their members as another a great victory in their struggle for independence (from men) and equality (with men). For me, I'll take the 50's model. That's when we had real moms and real dads in almost every household.
No, haven't been jumping on any couches lately and haven't impregnated any women I don't plan to marry.
We've come full circle. They wanted abortion without the father having a say. Now they want to impregnate and give birth without men. The feminist shrews are quite a work.
Like I stated earlier, at these these women are choosing to find good parental lineage and choosing to have a baby and raise it.
There's lots and lots of babies that are born in the world today because even with free condoms in school available there's no self responsibility.
Turns out Native Americans aren't Americans either. We're all latecomers.
"And you turn your nose down to these women who choose to have a child and you give the men who profit from selling their sperm a pass?"
You werent talking to me, but I wholeheartedly blame them too.
Well goody for you. Then I would say you are just as selfish and many on this thread seem to claim these women are for choosing to have children without a man in their life.
I guess that just about sums up your opinion then.
You're the one I would've guessed. ;^)
"Now they want to impregnate and give birth without men."
Except the men in this case is profitting from their semen.
Wagglebee won't. Its always the woman's fault don't you see.
Because abortion has been the traditional soup de jour among feminists.
We've lost the idea that marriage and children go together. Sheez, these girls going to a sperm bank to get sperm so they can have a baby? No thought to the father? No thought that they should be married? No thought that there should be a father?
Obvious some people just don't see that mothers and fathers and the family are important to raising children.
I thought Zager & Evans figured this one out in the late 60s.
Maybe these women would try harder to find a mate if lazy immoral college bums werent busting loads for cash.
I will lol if they get stuck with child support.
YOU MEAN I COULD MAKE AN EXTRA 900 BUCKS A MONTH?!?!?!?!?!
DANG!
I think not.
No, I'd say your posts clearly sum up yours.
You have a very serious point here. Courts have allowed deliberate fraud and even purjury in awarding paternal responsibility.
Which gives me an idea, we could eliminate terrorism by simply paying these women to accuse known terrorists of paternity. They could be jailed for life without parole or trial, on the woman's word and the left would have nothing to say because it's a "deadbeat dad".
I am disgusted by the entire culture of artificial reproduction.
"Because abortion has been the traditional soup de jour among feminists."
What does that have to do with this thread? These women are choosing life are they not?
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