Should underage boys be able to donate sperm?

I just read a story about a 16 year old boy who donated his sperm to his aunts lesbian lover so that they could conceive a baby. Do you think this should have been legal? My initial gut reaction is no, but the more I think about it, the less I see a reason why not. Like any grown man who donates sperm, the boy wasn't at all bound for legal responsibility. It's not like he became a "teen father" in the traditional sense with his future hindered from it.

Nah, pass on this.

As typical, I'm going to play devil's advocate and say yes. It's not like most teenage boys aren't "donating" sperm every day which routinely goes to waist. As long as they have parental consent, I don't really see why they shouldn't be allowed to do this.

Not without parental consent, but honestly, I can't imagine too many parents who would permit their underage son to donate sperm.

captainbryce wrote:As typical, I'm going to play devil's advocate and say yes. It's not like most teenage boys aren't "donating" sperm every day which routinely goes to waist. As long as they have parental consent, I don't really see why they shouldn't be allowed to do this.

I agree with what the Captain says and definetly parental consent should factor into it before the donation. I see nothing wrong with it at all.

I'm undecided on this one. On one side, it's the boy's decision and it is harmless. Males - particularly teenage boys - have plenty to spare! But on the other side, part of me says that things like this should be for adults only. I'm indecisive on this one.

I don't think they should at all. I don't think that a majority of 17 year olds would have the maturity to do it for the right reasons.

In the example given, I am totally against it, as this baby is going to be his cousin. So, what in 10 years, when bio dad is older? How hard to know that it is part your baby, but belongs solely to your aunts.

I think I'm more disturbed that the sperm was given to his aunt's lover than by the fact that he's 16. That means he fathered his own cousin? Unless they keep it totally anonymous as the kid grows up, how are they going to explain that one to the kid? I think 16 is very young. ITA that is seems more of an adult decision. but then kids are allowed to donate bone marrow and whatnot to siblings, so maybe this isn't all that different? I guess I'm undecided, too.

It's not the donating of sperm that so much bothers me, it's the possible lack of maturity someone his age probably has to reconcile the situation. An adult male who donates can better detach himself from this than a teenager could. I can imagine a 16 year old boy who fathers a child with an extended family member via sperm donation wouldn't necessarily be mature enough to accept that the baby won't be his in any way that matters, and would grapple w/ thinking "that's my kid" against the having no legal parental claim on it every time he sees the kid.

That alone should make this kind of process limited to grown men.

Yeah - if it had been a total stranger, I might have felt differently, but the fact that this kid will be his cousin? Can you imagine the family get togethers?

Ya, the family gatherings would not be cool..

I wonder how the kid will explain things to friends, too. Will he be bragging about it? keep it quiet? What happens if the kids ends up looking exactly like him? Babies are often born looking more like their fathers than their mothers.

TSJFan4Ever wrote:Yeah - if it had been a total stranger, I might have felt differently, but the fact that this kid will be his cousin? Can you imagine the family get togethers?

I agree with this. I'm okay for doing it for a stranger, but not a family member.