A documentary maker asserts he could have as many as 1,000 siblings through sperm banks.
Barry Stevens from Toronto states that his siblings are located all over the U.S., Canada, Europe, and farther.
His disclosure arises amidst growing concerns regarding the loose regulations for sperm donors in the United States.
While some nations enforce laws that officially restrict the number of offspring resulting from a single donor, no such laws exist in the U.S. and Canada.
Sperm banks independently establish their own rules, but these regulations are frequently overlooked.
Among the worries regarding sperm banks is the trend of selecting a “designer” baby by choosing a donor from a catalog based on traits such as eye color, physique, or IQ level.
This practice has contributed to the situation where donors like Mr. Stevens have left a considerable legacy.
Fertility specialists are now cautioning that an excessive dependency on a single donor heightens the likelihood of passing on genetic diseases and malformations.
There are additional worries about the risks of unintended incest among half-siblings.
Mr. Stevens, who has created films tracing his search for his biological father and half-siblings, remarked: ‘We must consider the potential for children of one donor to meet and engage in sexual relations, leading to offspring, as well as the possibility that the donor could engage sexually with his daughter.’