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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want my partner to be an anonymous sperm donor?

294 replies

BamBamPadam · 30/03/2026 19:53

We’ve been together a few years, own a home together and I’m in my 2nd trimester of pregnancy.

Early in our relationship my partner told me he was considering doing sperm donation for a bit of pocket money/fun money. He had a holiday coming up at the time and wanted some spends. He had decided to ask my opinion before going ahead with it which I really appreciated as we were aiming for a long-term relationship at the time. I said I wasn’t personally comfortable with it as it felt like a huge thing to be doing just for some pocket money. I also was quite honest and open by the fact that the thought of a load of other women being pregnant with his offspring was weird to me and would put a dampener on the relationship. He understood and binned off the idea.

His best friend who is a single man and doesn’t plan on having his own kids (he spends half the year in Thailand and loves the bachelor life) has recently donated sperm and has been encouraging my partner to do it. Both on the basis of a bit of extra money and to “help people”. My partner has slowly been coming around to the idea and has mentioned to me he’d like to look into an anonymous donation again.

I told him I wasn’t comfortable with it. I don’t want to worry about my child having random siblings everywhere. I don’t want any random strangers who resemble my partner joining us for Sunday dinner in 18 years expecting him to step up and be their dad. And then on a slightly more unreasonable note - I don’t like the idea of other women being pregnant with his baby! I’m not usually a possessively jealous type and I know it’s very common to have children with more than one person and that’s normal nowadays. But I am otherwise in a really happy relationship with him and I feel like having children by him should be something that only I get the “privilege” of whilst we’re in a relationship? I don’t know if that makes sense. I think that’s a relatively normal thing to feel whilst pregnant isn’t it? If he had an older child with an ex partner it’d be different of course but the thought of other women being pregnant by him whilst I’m raising his newborn…it just freaks me out even though no cheating would’ve occurred. It just feels so wrong on a primal level. Maybe I’m just hormonal, I don’t know. I can understand people like his mate being donors but I don’t get why you’d do it if you have your own famil.

He hasn’t been nasty about my feelings but says I’m being overly sensitive about the emotional aspect of it and he doesn’t see why I’d feel jealousy towards any women that end up the recipient of his sperm. He also says the extra money will be useful for stuff for our baby. He says he’ll consider my feelings but that he will still go ahead with it if he wants too whether I like it or not.

I just hate hate hate the whole idea of it and I am so angry that he wants to risk upsetting me and bringing a load of resentment into our relationship for the sake of a few hundred quid (maximum).

OP posts:
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Hollietree · 31/03/2026 18:50

Giving me weird vibes. Surely he would make so little money doing this in the UK that it wouldn’t be worth it? How much money did his friend make doing it recently??

Is it a kink thing? Especially since it’s linked to his mate who goes to Thailand regularly (No offence to anyone from Thailand, but we all know what is involved with men who spend a lot of time in Thailand!)

ScattyKitty · 31/03/2026 18:45

I'm a grandma now because of someone being kind enough to be a sperm donor. My dd is married to a lovely young man who, because of cancer as a teenager, is unable to produce his own sperm. They had to use donated sperm or they could never have had a family. They have two gorgeous little boys (5 and 2) and their daddy absolutely adores them (mummy does too!) They paid privately for treatment which cost a fortune which they could barely afford but now they have a beautiful family. This wouldn't have been possible without someone being altruistic and their partners being kind and unselfish. Donated sperm is not easily available in the UK - many people are forced to go overseas - due to donors being paid expenses only, and any children can be given some details of the donation at 18 - plus the DNA tracing websites. So for all of you saying donation is wrong or weird, please think of it from the prospective parents' point of view and stop being so selfish and narrow minded.

Kelly1969 · 31/03/2026 18:44

I would hate it too, his mate is an idiot to encourage him too, stirring up an issue that had seemingly sorted

wellstopdoingitthen · 31/03/2026 18:41

jdb9803 · 30/03/2026 20:02

I'd be worried my own child could end up in a relationship with a half sibling without knowing

This would be my concern too.

OpheliaHamlet · 31/03/2026 18:37

Apparently, for sperm, it’s about £45 (for expenses) in the UK. That seems like such a low amount, for something that could have a huge impact on your life.

I think in certain places (possibly the States?), if you have something spectacular to offer, eg several degrees from top universities, and are an internationally recognized neurosurgeon, who previous did commercial modelling, then maybe your sperm would be highly desirable, so perhaps worth more?

Mandaxx25 · 31/03/2026 18:32

Oceangrey · 30/03/2026 20:11

My husband donated after we had kids but would never ever have done it if I was uncomfortable with the idea.
Also - it's not anonymous and it's not paid that much.

Why the hell would you ever be ok with it? Oh I'm helping people. Helping these innocent children to be forever devastated and mentally affected by the absence of their father. How incredibly selfless and noble of you both.

Frillysweetpea · 31/03/2026 18:32

carnivalcat · 30/03/2026 20:11

YANBU to not want your partner fathering other children. Obviously. Could it be some of this weird red pill shit? Where big strong alpha men father dozens of children?

Exactly what I was thinking....

Mandaxx25 · 31/03/2026 18:26

BamBamPadam · 30/03/2026 19:57

Yes we are and I have mentioned this to him and he says he wouldn’t mind a superficial relationship with the offspring but he wouldn’t let them inherit anything or impose on our family life. He’d maybe just see them on his own occasionally if any of them ever got in touch

Edited

Imagine the impact of this on those children. So unfair to bring a child into the world solely for someone else's selfish needs. Children should be raised by their mother and father unless that isn't possible due to a death, illness or some other unavoidable reason. Even if they just aren't able to and need to give up for adoption then that's ok. But to purposely bring them into the world to immediately deny them their biological parents and the lifelong harm that entails is so wrong.

Mandaxx25 · 31/03/2026 18:20

This is absolutely ridiculous and would be the end of the relationship if he went ahead with it for me. Of course you're not being unreasonable expecting your partner to not have random kids to half the feckin country for a few hundred quid! This is massive and you really will resent him and rightly so. You're not being ridiculous for not wanting other women to carry and raise his babies lovely and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. We are monogamous. God made us that way. I don't give two shits what anyone else's opinion is on that.
To put all of this on you when you're pregnant as well, the selfish, selfish bastard. Boot him out and tell him it's over if he wants to do this. I'm uncertain that you can go forward with this man when he wants to do things like this. He needs to get rid of that 'friend' as well. Men are such selfish pricks sometimes. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this.

AxolotlEars · 31/03/2026 18:17

BamBamPadam · 30/03/2026 19:57

Yes we are and I have mentioned this to him and he says he wouldn’t mind a superficial relationship with the offspring but he wouldn’t let them inherit anything or impose on our family life. He’d maybe just see them on his own occasionally if any of them ever got in touch

Edited

That response would be enough to put me off him for life!

anon666 · 31/03/2026 18:12

I think youre right. I'd feel like that too.

Particularly about your children. When they partner up they might end up having to do a dna test to rule out being siblings. That would be enough for me to make it a hard no.

Priya879 · 31/03/2026 17:48

Please show him this thread and the responses. Its so wrong of him to bring this to you now you're pregnant. It's wrong on so many levels. You are not being unreasonable at all. I would feel the exact same way. If he's that bothered, tell him to donate his sperms for medical research. Otherwise he needs to sit down, shut up and be grateful for his lot in life (in my humble opinion). Please enjoy your pregnancy x

Whatsappweirdo · 31/03/2026 13:53

Grim. I echo what everyone else here is warning about.

emilysquest · 31/03/2026 12:58

The13thFairy · 31/03/2026 09:46

I googled how much he'd be paid. I couldn't find out after 5 minutes and I wasn't going to spend any more time on it, but does anyone know how much it would be?

Nothing.

NeelyOHara · 31/03/2026 10:54

He’s not doing it for the money, this is a lie. There must be another reason, - unless it’s just to upset the OP. He sounds really weird.
His mate sounds extremely dodgy too.

Laurmolonlabe · 31/03/2026 09:59

To do it anyway even though you are not comfortable with it is a huge red flag- why is he in such a rage to donate sperm?
l think it's likely you need counselling.

SarahAndQuack · 31/03/2026 09:57

The13thFairy · 31/03/2026 09:46

I googled how much he'd be paid. I couldn't find out after 5 minutes and I wasn't going to spend any more time on it, but does anyone know how much it would be?

Yes, this thread is full of people pointing out he wouldn't be paid.

The13thFairy · 31/03/2026 09:46

I googled how much he'd be paid. I couldn't find out after 5 minutes and I wasn't going to spend any more time on it, but does anyone know how much it would be?

AutumnFroglets · 31/03/2026 09:07

Jopo12 · 31/03/2026 09:02

Have you told him this? If you are serious that you will leave him if he does it then her needs to hear that.

He knows.

They first discussed it early in their relationship where she said it was a deal breaker and so he binned the idea (it's in her op). Now she's trapped in pregnancy he's decided to go for it.

Jopo12 · 31/03/2026 09:02

BamBamPadam · 30/03/2026 19:59

I actually think it would be a dealbreaker for me, the thought of it makes me feel ill

Have you told him this? If you are serious that you will leave him if he does it then her needs to hear that.

NeelyOHara · 31/03/2026 08:58

Ella31 · 31/03/2026 08:45

I think the fact that it's all about money with him would really make me question my relationship with him. Never mind the emotional toll on future children, on your potential kids, on you if one turns up some day.

It would be a deal breaker for me. His reasons are purely transactional.

It’s not about the money, he’s just using that as an excuse to justify it to OP. What a prick he sounds.

NeelyOHara · 31/03/2026 08:57

PollyBell · 31/03/2026 01:19

Just like women keep on saying about their bodies especially when pregnant his body his choice

It’s nothing like the same thing? Red pill alert…

Ella31 · 31/03/2026 08:45

BamBamPadam · 30/03/2026 20:07

Yes we are! Don’t think he’s even bothered to look into it that seriously and research the practicalities of it as I just mentioned to him that I was “researching” online and found it was only expenses paid and he seemed slightly shocked. Which almost pisses me off even more. Stressing me out just for the sake of it rather than thinking it’d genuinely financially benefit us. I think the thought of donating sperm just makes him feel special or something, ugh.

i know the mate donated in another country which he has strong connections with and not the UK

Edited

I think the fact that it's all about money with him would really make me question my relationship with him. Never mind the emotional toll on future children, on your potential kids, on you if one turns up some day.

It would be a deal breaker for me. His reasons are purely transactional.

Anewerforest · 31/03/2026 08:10

There used to be something admirable about freely donating, but it is a very different thing now that children can contact the sperm donor. 18 years soon passes and many children will be curious.

Anewerforest · 31/03/2026 07:21

DudududuMV · 30/03/2026 20:05

Hmm. I don’t disagree but I’ve just been thinking about the flip side.

if I wanted to donate my eggs to help other women, I’m not sure if I’d be keen on my husband telling me I couldn’t.

Interesting point. It's not like a spouse vetoing joining a choir or learning Italian because of the inconvenience. I wouldn't be a surrogate if DH felt strongly against it, I don't think. It's something to decide as a couple.

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