The boy is described as a miracle, born from sperm that was stored 26 years ago.
Changes in the law in the UK have paved the way for children to be born from frozen sperm that has been preserved for over 50 years. Experts evaluate that there is no scientific basis for why sperm from many years ago cannot be used.
This week, a boy was born using frozen sperm from 1996. The boy’s father stored his sperm at the age of 21 after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, in case he faced infertility.
According to the Guardian, the baby is described as a miracle, born from sperm that has been preserved for up to 26 years. The father, named Peter Hickles, is now 47 years old.
Illustrative image: ABC
When Hickles’ sperm was frozen, he thought it could only last for 10 years. Experts state that the technique for freezing sperm has been established for a long time. However, before the UK changed the law this summer, gametes (eggs and sperm) could only be stored for 10 years, with exceptions sometimes made for individuals with fertility issues.
Currently, the storage period has been extended to 55 years. However, Allan Pacey, a professor of andrology at the University of Sheffield, asserts that there is no medical explanation for this limitation.
“The legal limit of 55 years has nothing to do with the shelf life of sperm or any scientific reason. This regulation relates to what lawmakers feel is appropriate for society. When sperm is frozen, I don’t understand why it cannot be stored for hundreds of years if the law allows it,” Professor Pacey stated.
He claimed there are no dangers associated with using “older” sperm: “Sperm from prize-winning bulls has been stored for much longer than we have kept human sperm without any apparent issues.”
In theory, preserving sperm over many years could allow children to be born from historical figures. However, this may not be feasible in the current UK, as laws prevent the formation of a sperm market and limit usage to 10 families per donor.
Dr. Lucy Frith, a bioethicist at the University of Manchester, stated that the law change could lead to a child being born from sperm that is much older than their siblings (with a gap of up to 40 years). If the sperm is donated, younger individuals might discover their biological father is significantly older or has passed away by the time they turn 18.
Julian Savulescu, a professor of ethics at the University of Oxford, emphasized that more research is needed on long-term happiness if the use of “older” sperm becomes more common.
“We are conducting an experiment, and I support that, but you have a moral obligation to generate knowledge and modify practices based on the results,” Professor Savulescu noted.
For instance, if sperm was previously used from 250 years ago, this could raise ethical questions as the gene pool may have been entirely altered. Nevertheless, these remain “concerns of science fiction” since sperm freezing only began in the 1950s.
Meanwhile, sperm provides opportunities for individuals to become parents.
Hickles, a football fan and former youth player for Spurs, shared: “I keep looking at my son, shaking my head in disbelief. He truly is a miracle. Essentially, my child was ready to be born right before Euro 1996, and now he is born just before World Cup 2022. It’s astounding.”
