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Sperm donor, 72, to father his own grandchild
Daily Mail ^ | October 5, 2007 | FIONA MACRAE

Posted on 10/06/2007 5:53:56 AM PDT by NYer

A man of 72 is to donate sperm to try to father his own 'grandchild'.

He has been cleared to provide the sperm to his daughter-in-law to allow her to become a mother.

Any baby born will be its grandfather's genetic child and a halfbrother or half-sister to the man it takes to be its father.

What do you think about the case? Join the debate

The case - believed to be the first of its kind in the UK - raises ethical questions about how well the child will cope with such unusual family circumstances.

The Harley Street doctors treating the couple, however, say that the child's interests were paramount when taking the decision.

The couple, whose identity is being kept secret, opted for donor sperm after IVF treatment with the husband's own failed.

They turned to the husband's father, rather than an anonymous donor, because they wanted a child as genetically similar to both families as possible.

Peter Bowen-Simpkins, codirector of the London Women's Clinic which is carrying out the procedure, said the couple and the grandfather had undergone extensive counselling.

"I've certainly never come across a case like this before," he said.

"But advancements in fertility treatment have overcome a lot of taboos in science which means that people are prepared to consider all sorts of options.

"Obviously, the wife's mother-inlaw also had to be included in all of the conversations but she has no objections.

"Society has also changed its perceptions of what is and what is not acceptable.

"In this case, keeping the genetic identity of the child similar to their own was a huge factor.

"The husband does not have a brother, which is why he chose his own father to assist."

Kamal Ahuja, the clinic's scientific director, said: "We spent many, many months deliberating this case and discussed it with our ethics committee and with counsellors and have come to the conclusion that they shouldn't have been denied treatment."

It is not known if the couple, who are in their thirties, intend to tell the child about its parentage.

The child will be able to track down its biological father on turning 18.

Critics cautioned that the child could face major identity issues.

Philippa Taylor, of Care, a Christian charity, said: "The reproductive whims of parents to do some deliberate and unnecessary social engineering should not be put before the welfare of the child.

"Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should."

A spokesman for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority said donations from family members were legal and relatively common.

Preliminary tests at the clinic suggest that the 72-year-old's sperm is viable.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Philosophy; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: donor; genetics; ivf; moralabsolutes; sperm
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To: mefistofelerevised

You’re not alone.

I have a father-in-law. I try to imagine such a scenario.

Nope. It’s weird.

but I don’t suppose it’s illegal.


21 posted on 10/06/2007 6:49:03 AM PDT by Fishtalk (http://patfish.blogspot.com)
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To: mefistofelerevised
It’s ok with cows, but not people

Quotes like this keep me reading FR. LOL

22 posted on 10/06/2007 6:49:25 AM PDT by ladyjane
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To: billorites

That was my first reaction. Then, I thought about it some more, and if they want the ‘donor’ to be a family member, rather than some stranger they don’t know, and have no idea about the medical (or mental/social) history of, why not? It’s frankly much better than picking someone out of a catalogue that you don’t really know anything about.


23 posted on 10/06/2007 6:52:54 AM PDT by Ro_Thunder ("Other than ending SLAVERY, FASCISM, NAZISM and COMMUNISM, war has never solved anything")
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To: NYer

Can Armageddon be far away?


24 posted on 10/06/2007 7:03:12 AM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: awakened
think of all the “natural-mother/natural-father” dysfunctional families there are right now.,

ask Chelsea.

25 posted on 10/06/2007 7:14:03 AM PDT by Don Corleone (Leave the gun..take the cannoli)
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To: VeritatisSplendor
Not that they are guaranteed a son.

Even a daughter would carry 50% of the father's genetics.

26 posted on 10/06/2007 7:56:10 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick (The articles posted by me needn't necessarily reflect my opinion.)
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To: NYer; wagglebee

“There are countless children in the world who need a home. This is an example of greed.”

I have for a long time viewed the entire spectrum of artificial insemination cases as cases of parents for whom the prospect of “having a child” is all about themselves, not the child. When I listen to their (the parents) own statements of the prospective child I hear the discussion of a possession, not a person.

My own belief is that if the couple was approaching their difficulty in conceiving in the right spirit of parenthood, they would adopt natural-born children who needed a good home; of which there is no shortage in the world.


27 posted on 10/06/2007 8:12:19 AM PDT by Wuli
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To: NYer

I don’t see the problem. If the daddy-to-be has no brothers, this is as close to his own genetic contribution as he can get.


28 posted on 10/06/2007 8:14:40 AM PDT by bannie
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To: bannie

Why is this a story? This kind of thing has been going on in Arkansas for ages!


29 posted on 10/06/2007 8:42:29 AM PDT by catman67
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To: catman67

I should have seen that coming.

30 posted on 10/06/2007 8:46:50 AM PDT by bannie
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To: NYer

31 posted on 10/06/2007 8:46:51 AM PDT by RightWhale (50 years later we're still sitting on the ground)
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To: NYer

I’m my own grandpa

Many, many years ago when I was just twenty-three,
I was married to a widow, she was pretty as could be.
This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red
And my father fell in Love with her. Soon they too were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law—changed my very life!
My daughter was my mother because she was my father’s wife!
To complicate the matter even though it brought me joy,
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby he then became a brother-in-law to Dad.
Well, that made him my uncle—made me very sad!
Because if he was my uncle then he also was a brother
To the widow’s grown-up daughter, who, of course, was my stepmother.

CHORUS

My father’s wife then had a son who kept them on the run.
And, of course, he became my grandchild because he was my daughter’s son.
My wife is now my mother’s mother and this makes me blue
Because although she is my wife, she’s my grandmother too!

CHORUS

Now if my wife is my grandmother, well, then I am her grandchild,
And every time that I think about this, it nearly drives me wild!
Because now I have become the strangest case that you ever saw
As husband of my grandmother, I’m my own grandpa!

CHORUS:

I’m my own grandpa! I’m my own grandpa!
It sounds funny, I know, but it really is so!
Oh, I’m my own grandpa!


32 posted on 10/06/2007 8:49:09 AM PDT by Incorrigible (If I lead, follow me; If I pause, push me; If I retreat, kill me.)
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To: Don Corleone

LOL ! Bingo!


33 posted on 10/06/2007 9:12:04 AM PDT by awakened (Remember -- There are no dead atheists.)
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To: ladyjane
I’m flattered to receive that comment from such a distinguished poster. Seriously.
34 posted on 10/06/2007 9:30:03 AM PDT by mefistofelerevised
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To: NYer

Cue Banjos...


35 posted on 10/06/2007 9:33:23 AM PDT by Triggerhippie (Always use a silencer in a crowd. Loud noises offend people.)
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To: NYer

This falls under the category of just plain weird. This would cast a shadow over the relationship of this family that would negatively effect the child and his family, whether the child is ever told this or not. He’s going to be his father’s own brother. His wife is going to give birth to his brother.


36 posted on 10/06/2007 9:36:15 AM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: Incorrigible

I must admit that song did come to mind...


37 posted on 10/06/2007 9:36:47 AM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: bannie
If the daddy-to-be has no brothers, this is as close to his own genetic contribution as he can get.

But he will have a brother that his own wife will give birth to.

38 posted on 10/06/2007 9:38:28 AM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: BlazingArizona

“Yeah. I hate it when those sperm donors mob our car at freeway exits.”

I know what you mean. I get really tired of those guys with those “ Will donate sperm for food” signs


39 posted on 10/06/2007 9:40:12 AM PDT by Polynikes (Hey. I got a question. How are you planning to get back down that hill?)
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To: CarrotAndStick
Not that they are guaranteed a son. Even a daughter would carry 50% of the father's genetics.

Right, because his own wife will be giving birth to either a younger brother or sister to him.

40 posted on 10/06/2007 9:40:30 AM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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