118 Babies Born with Sperm of Husbands' Fathers at Japan Clinic

Tokyo, July 28 (Jiji Press)--A total of 118 babies were born to 79 couples who underwent in vitro fertilization using sperm from the husbands' fathers over 17 years through 2013 at Suwa Maternity Clinic in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, informed sources said Monday. Yahiro Nezu, head of the clinic, will announce the fertility treatment results at Thursday's meeting of the Japan Society of Fertilization and Implantation, according to the sources. In 1996-2013, the clinic performed in vitro fertilization for 110 couples with fertility problems such as low sperm count using sperm donated by the husbands' fathers. Of them, 95 couples, or 86 pct of the total, achieved pregnancy, 79 couples, or 72 pct, had babies delivered and 19 couples reached the stage of delivery more than once. Separately, the clinic performed in vitro fertilization for 28 couples using sperm donated by the husbands' brothers and for eight couples using sperm from other donors. In Japan, there is no law that regulates third-party sperm donation, but the health ministry issued a report in 2003 that said sperm donation by the husbands' brothers should not be allowed due to concerns about complex family relationships. The report endorsed third-party sperm donation on the condition that the donors are not identified. The Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology allows only artificial insemination in the wife's uterus using the sperm of a third-party donor. END