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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent

UK sperm donations being exported despite 10-family limit

shows a member of staff taking out donor sperm from storage
Donor-conceived children could have to navigate relationships with dozens of biological half-siblings across Europe. Photograph: Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP/Getty Images

Sperm donated in the UK is being exported and can be used to create large numbers of children across multiple countries, contradicting a strict 10-family limit that applies in the UK, experts warn.

A legal loophole means that, while a single donor can be used to create no more than 10 families in UK fertility clinics, there are no restrictions on companies making sperm or eggs available for additional fertility treatments abroad.

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