The principle of anonymous sperm donation: remarks about its history and application

Introduction: This article, based on sociological research on the activity of donor insemination and semen cryopreservation, addresses four questions concerning the present policy of donor anonymity: What is the principle of anonymous semen donation? Where does it come from? What is its purpose in the organization of donor insemination (DI)? How is the anonymity principle applied in daily practice? Material and methods: Analysis of the origins and transformations of this policy is based on documents, published in the 70s and the 80s, which provide a history of the practice of donor insemination, in particular within the framework of rules devised by Centre for the Study and Cryopreservation of Semen (Cecos). Results: This history shows that donor anonymity has been a de facto policy for over two centuries, whereas the notion of an anonymity principle is relatively recent. Conclusion: Present challenges to this principle have brought to the fore long-standing queries about what establishes fatherhood in cases where paternity is dissociated from impregnation.