CURRENT PRACTICE OF ARTIFICIAL-INSEMINATION BY DONOR IN THE UNITED-STATES

Of 711 physicians likely to perform artificial insemination by donor surveyed to determine their current practices, 471 responded, of whom 379 reported that they performed this procedure. They accounted for approximately 3576 births by this means in 1977. In addition to treating infertility, 26 per cent of these physicians used the procedure to prevent transmission of a genetic disease, and 10 per cent used it for single women. Donors of semen were primarily from universities, were only superficially screened for genetic diseases, and were then matched phenotypically to the recipient's husband. Most recipients were inseminated twice per cycle. Only 17 per cent of physicians used the same donor for a given recipient, and 32 per cent used multiple donors within a single cycle. Only 37 per cent kept records on children, and only 30 per cent on donors. The identity of donors usually was carefully guarded to ensure privacy and to avoid legal complications. (N Engl J Med 300:585–590, 1979) NUMEROUS articles have appeared in scientific and popular journals discussing the moral and ethical aspects of artificial insemination with donor semen as well as the personal experiences of physicians who perform it. Despite the general interest in the subject, little is known about its scope or its current methods. Even authorities in the field find the search for vital statistics frustrating.1 Knowledge of national practices is necessary to establish uniform policies for this procedure, particularly as these policies bear on its genetic consequences. Although current practices of semen banks have recently been reported,2 a survey of physicians who perform artificial. © 1979, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.