By Jessica Anstice
An American sperm donor, believed to have fathered more than 100 children around the world has successfully impregnated a couple from the Casey region.
The 47-year-old known as ‘Joe Donor’ runs his business through social media.
Tracey and Bella found out they are seven weeks pregnant after requesting a vial of Joe’s sperm.
“The number of children he has doesn’t concern us due to them all being overseas,” Tracey said.
“He has a tight relationship with most of his donor-conceived children and recipients which prevents speculation going around that these children will form a relationship.
Tracey and Bella have invited other recipients to contact them, get to know them and their donor-conceived children.
Channel 9 TV show ‘60 Minutes’ interviewed Joe and the Casey couple on Sunday night.
The couple met Joe on January 8, at Westside Hotel in Laverton to receive their donation.
“The initial meeting with Joe would have been more comfortable without the 60 Minutes camera crew around but we ended up having a chat later on with him and got to know him a bit better,” Tracey said.
“The conversation just flowed and it was natural. We thought he was genuine and it felt like we’d known him for years.”
The couple posted in the Sperm Donation Australia Facebook page before Joe privately messaged them and told them he was coming to Australia and was willing to help.
“We chose Joe because he seemed genuine, his intentions were good and he didn’t come across as a sleaze,” she said.
“We looked for a donor who is upfront, has a great personality, is 100 percent honest and has clean STI checks.”
Before receiving Joe’s sperm donation, Tracey said there were recent STI checks posted to his Facebook page from September 2018.
“The checks posted online got removed because he was under contract with 60 Minutes,” Tracey claimed.
“We plan on using Joe again for another baby as we have a close contact with him and we are happy for him to meet the donor child and see photos.”
Bella took the pregnancy test while Tracey was busy cooking dinner and interacting with their seven children, all aged between four months and 13-years-old.
“Bella screamed and said ‘We’re having a baby’ like five times but I didn’t believe her until I saw the test as we have experienced miscarriages previously and many failed attempts,” Tracey said.
“We are both over the moon. We are a blended family, five of our seven children are from previous relationships, two are since we have been a couple and we are hoping to have a few more as a couple.”
Sperm Donation Australia Facebook group admin Adam Hooper said Joe is a donor from an American culture, where the “American culture is a lot different to ours”.
“The aim of the 60 Minutes story was to highlight the culture differences between Australian donors and American donors,” Mr Hooper said.
“In Australia, men don’t generally donate prolifically; the American culture is that everyone loves a winner.”
When Joe posted in the Facebook group, announcing his Australian ‘sperm tour’, he received mixed responses.
“Everyone has different ideas in their head of what their ideal donor is, I think that is the freedom of choice people make as adults,” Mr Hooper added.
“Some people want not many donor siblings and choose a donor with less and some like the idea of using a proven donor where they know the donor won’t come after them, or they like the idea of international siblings for their children to meet once they’re older.”
Mr Hooper hasn’t personally met Joe; however the two have spoken over Skype.
“I think it’s very much the case of what you see is what you get, he is a man that is straight forward, honest and says what he believes in,” he said.
“Whether or not other people don’t share his opinion, he doesn’t sugar-coat anything and that’s why some controversy might come to light because of that brutal honesty. He wants to keep donating until the day he dies.”
