First sperm bank in NE China opened

The sperm bank at Liaoning Maternity and Child Care Center in Shenyang, Liaoning province, is the first one in China’s vast northeast region, Oct 12, 2011. The bank has in its store 4,700 sperm samples, 95 percent from college student volunteers. Every donor is required to give personal information on skin color, height, face shape, eyelid structure, blood type and whether he is left-handed. Huai Hongyu, director of the bank, said clients like to have offspring who resemble them as much as possible. To avoid intermarrying, China’s Ministry of Health ordered that a donor can give his sperm to only one bank in China and the sperm can be provided to five women at most. Once it reaches the limit, the sperm sample would be destroyed. All donors sign a document giving up all rights to know anything about where his sperm goes. He has no responsibility or right regarding the offspring. His personal information remains strictly confidential. [Photo/CFP]