SOME sperm donor dads have each officially fathered at least 40 children, figures reveal.
Rules currently state sperm can be used for offspring in no more than ten separate families.
Shock figures reveal how some sperm donor dads have each officially fathered at least 40 children (stock image) Credit: Getty
As many as four are responsible for 41 or more births Credit: Getty
Figures from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) show 1,569 donors have fathered a dozen or more babies — producing at least 23,036 children between them.
As many as four are responsible for 41 or more births from clinics licensed by the authority since 1991.
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Five have each fathered 32 kids, with at least 103 reaching 20 or more births.
The figures do not include donations outside the licensed system, and those who go overseas, with some reportedly fathering several hundred kids.
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Experts say many will have half-brothers and sisters they do not know about, and can never trace.
Debbie Kennett, a genetic genealogist from University College London, said: “I think these numbers seriously underestimate the number of half-siblings.”
Nina Barnsley, of the Donor Conception Network, said: “Having large numbers of close genetic relatives can be a challenge both in terms of forming their identity and integrating those half-siblings into their lives.”
She said discussions are under way over how the limit — introduced in 2006 — can be monitored, “especially across borders”.
HFEA director Rachel Cutting said breaches of the ten-family limit are rare and when found “are often only just over”.
