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Self-reported physical health status of donor sperm-conceived adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2020

Damian H. Adams Open the ORCID record for Damian H. Adams [Opens in a new window] ,
Adam Gerace ,
Michael J. Davies  and
Sheryl de Lacey
Damian H. Adams*
Affiliation:
Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia5042, Australia
Adam Gerace
Affiliation:
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Wayville, South Australia, 5034, Australia College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia5042, Australia
Michael J. Davies
Affiliation:
The Robinson Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia5001, Australia
Sheryl de Lacey
Affiliation:
College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia5042, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Damian H. Adams, Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia5042, Australia. E-mail: [email protected].
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Abstract

Donor-conceived neonates have poorer birth outcomes, including low birth weight and preterm delivery that are associated with poorer long-term health in adulthood through the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) theory. The aim of this study was to conduct the first investigation of the adult health outcomes of donor-conceived people. An online health survey was completed by 272 donor sperm-conceived adults and 877 spontaneously conceived adults from around the world. Donor and spontaneously conceived groups were matched for age, sex, height, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, own fertility and maternal smoking. Donor sperm-conceived adults had significantly higher reports of being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (P = 0.031), thyroid disease (P = 0.031), acute bronchitis (P = 0.008), environmental allergies (P = 0.046), sleep apnoea (P = 0.037) and having ear tubes/grommets surgically implanted (P = 0.046). This is the first study to investigate the health outcomes of adult donor sperm-conceived people. Donor sperm-conceived adults self-reported elevated frequencies of various health conditions. The outcomes are consistent with birth defect data from donor sperm treatment and are consistent with the DOHaD linking perturbed early growth and chronic disease in adulthood.

Keywords

Donor conceptionhealth surveyonlineoutcomeself-reported
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease , Volume 12 , Issue 4 , August 2021 , pp. 638 - 651
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press in association with International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

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