Couples from UK, Afghanistan look to India for sperm donors

Sun, May 4 03:23 PM

Kamal Narayan New Delhi, May 4 (PTI) Unable to conceive but longing for their own baby, couples from Britain, Afghanistan and other countries are now turning to India, seeking a sperm donor. India, being the only country in South Asia, with semen banks and a large number of willing donors, has become a hot spot for artificial insemination.

Experts feel that opposed to the adverse legal and social scenario in other countries, India where 'donor sperms' are easily available is growing as a prime destination for treating this condition. "There has been an acute shortage of donor sperm of ethnic Indian origin in the United Kingdom and this has led to a dramatic jump in couples coming here from UK for artificial insemination," says Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour, consultant Fertility specialist in the capital's Fortis Hospital.

On an average 45-50 such couples from London visit her clinic annually to avail this service. In UK, for example there is a shortage of semen donors, because it has become mandatory for donors to now disclose their identity, says Sachdev.

Similarly, many come to India from neighbouring countries in quest of semen donors. Dr Iqbal Mehdi, Head of Department, Cryogene Lab Pvt Ltd, the oldest sperm bank in country, says, "A large number of couples from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka visit our lab seeking donated semen.

" According to Dr Mehdi, his bank get maximum clients from Afghanistan, which is almost 25 per cent of total visitors, followed by Dubai (10 per cent). Besides, people from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Srilanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, also visit his lab, says Dr Mehdi.

PTI.

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