The Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (IVI) has launched an online service that allows couples to chose a donor for their future baby. The IVI exports semen samples that can be chosen on their website from a database of 110 donors, all of them listed by their physical descriptions, including skin color, eyes, stature, complexion, weight, and other characteristics.

It is currently illegal in Spain for women that will get fertility treatment to choose the physical attributes of the donors. The ones that choose the donors, in these cases, are the fertility centers, based on the complexions of the parents. The medical group that will treat the couple must then guarantee the closest phenotypical similarity between the parents and the donors.

However, this restriction is not found in other countries, and the IVI´s International Semen Bank is directed to them. Nicolás Garrido, of the IVI, says that “we have sent over 250 samples abroad, to countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, Brazil or Panama”. They have even had a request from Singapore, he says.

The requests, Garrido announces, have to be made from another reproduction center. They don´t accept requests directly from the women or couples that will receive the donation. The semen is sent frozen, in a 20 by 60 cm recipient. It costs 175 euro if the treatment will be through IVF (in vitro fertilization) or 250 euro if is through artificial insemination, since this kind of treatment need a larger amount of sperm.

In the IVI they claim that even though the physical characteristics of the donors are revealed, their identities aren´t, so the system follows the rules dictated by the spanish law. Spain´s Health Ministry has informed that they are analyzing that the IVI´s system complies to law.

VIA | Elpais