How Denmark Became the World Capital of Sperm Donation

Denmark is known as the sperm capital of the world. Up to 60 percent of donor children in some European countries carry Danish donor genes. About one in every 100 children born in Denmark is conceived using donor sperm.

Cryotechnology made this possible in the 1950s. Freezing sperm allowed safer storage and transport. It enabled screening for infections. Danish sperm banks then created large donor catalogues for international export.

A public sperm bank opened in Denmark in the 1970s. Private clinics emerged in the 1980s alongside IVF treatments. A private startup called Cryos International recruited donors in university cities. It quickly grew into the world's largest sperm bank.

Danish companies adapted fast to changing global laws. In 2005, the UK required non-anonymous donors. Danish providers quickly recruited both anonymous and non-anonymous donors to keep exporting.

Demand for donor sperm has shifted over time. Single women now make up 60 percent of clients. Same-sex couples represent 35 percent of clients. Denmark expanded legal healthcare access for these groups in 2007.

The industry now faces new challenges. A donor recently passed a harmful cancer gene to nearly 200 children across Europe. Two women are now suing the Danish state. Denmark may face pressure to end donor anonymity.