Merchandise or gift: Sperm banks and reproductive autonomy

Abstract

This paper is based on fieldwork conducted in a Scandinavian private sperm bank that operates independently of assisted reproduction clinics. The fact that it is openly run as a business has consequences for the perspective from which the genetic material is offered. It also mediates the relationship with individual recipients of the sperm. The existence of this sperm bank conflicts with the views of Spanish biomedical professionals, who argue that it is only possible to offer health and safety guarantees regarding samples and traceability of donations in authorized clinics in order to avoid the risks of incest and consanguinity.

Eggonomics: Vitrification and bioeconomies of egg donation in the United States and Spain

“…In both the United States and Spain, oocyte vitrification has expanded the market for both donated oocytes and “elective egg freezing” for fertility preservation (Inhorn, 2017; van de Wiel, 2020; Waldby, 2019). Compared to fresh egg donation cycles, in these new distribution models frozen oocytes obtained from a single donor can be more easily distributed among multiple recipients, thereby expanding their reach through space and time (Álvarez Plaza and Galán, 2017; Tober, 2018). According to Lucy van de Wiel (2020), the ability to freeze and preserve oocytes not only transforms the temporal reality of human reproduction for people who freeze their own eggs but also expands the financialization and profitability of oocyte procurement and distribution.…”