Tesla CEO and US billionaire Elon Musk, 53, is looking to increase the size of his family by recruiting surrogates from across the world as a means of quickly creating a “legion” of children, according to a report in the The Wall Street Journal. This has led to many questions about sperm donation and freezing procedures and what it means for fertility for men over 50.
Upto what age can men donate sperm?
“Sperm donation in India is safe, well-regulated, and quite simple when done through the right channels. The law allows men between 21 and 55 years to donate sperm. Since sperm quality starts to dip with age, the aim is always to get the healthiest sperm,” says Dr Muskaan Chhabra, Birla Fertility & IVF, Delhi.
However, a majority of sperm banks would like donors under the age of 35. “Sperm quality tends to deteriorate after 40 in terms of quantity, motility and DNA quality. On the other hand, men can, in theory, father children at even older ages, but assisted reproduction and conception chances might go down with advancing age,” says Dr Mannan Gupta, HOD, Obstetrics, Gynaecology & IVF Expert at Elantis Healthcare, Delhi.
Older men can have decreased sperm count, movement and shape, all of which impact fertility. “Moreover, sperm DNA fragmentation increases, which can impact embryo development and raise the risk of miscarriage,” adds Dr Gupta.
What are factors to keep in mind before becoming a donor?
Sperm donors undergo a complete medical history examination to exclude any hereditary or underlying illnesses. “A series of tests are carried out, which include infectious disease screenings such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and Syphilis, as well as genetic carrier testing to detect any concealed conditions,” says Dr Chhabra.
According to her, the parameters are sperm count (at least 16 million per millilitre), motility or the ability of sperms to move efficiently, (a minimum of 42 per cent), and morphology (a minimum of four per cent). Lifestyle plays a significant role as donors have to be non-smokers, not have used any drugs and be in top physical condition.
How is the donor sperm stored?
Sperm samples are frozen and quarantined for a period of 180 days and retested to ensure they’re free from infections before use. With modern cryopreservation techniques, sperm can be stored for many years, even decades, without significant declines in quality. “There have been successful pregnancies using sperm frozen for 10 to 20 years and even longer in some cases. As long as the sample remains frozen without thawing, its quality remains largely unchanged,” says Dr Gupta.
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What about the impact on infants?
Dr Gupta says infants born to older fathers might have marginally increased chances of genetic mutations, autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. “The DNA present in the sperm ages along with men, and therefore, the likelihood of transferring genetic abnormalities increases. Still, most infants born to older fathers are completely normal. The overall likelihood of carrying a healthy baby is quite high,” says Dr Gupta.
What are Indian laws?
Sperm donation is governed under the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021. Only licensed ART banks are allowed to source, screen, store and provide donor sperm. Only a married couple or a single woman can undergo ART procedure and use donor sperm to conceive. To avoid any accidental biological overlap, one donor’s sperm can only be used for one intended recipient.
