Is sperm from sex “donated”? Welcome to a crossover episode with podcaster Ellen Trachman, host of I Want to Put a Baby in You. Lawyer by trade, reproductive technology advocate at heart, Ellen Trachman is the founder and managing attorney at Trachman Law Center LLC.
Ellen founded her firm in order to bring dedicated and compassionate legal representation to those wishing to build a family or to help others to build a family through assisted reproductive technology (ART). She co-founded the Colorado Fertility Advocates, a nonprofit group dedicated to supporting Colorado families and fertility advocates.
The laws around reproductive technology have never been simple, and they are becoming increasingly tangled as politics encroaches on health care. It’s important for everyone to understand what’s happening and how it may affect access to ART.
Some cases Ellen’s seen included a birth mother who was being considered a “surrogate” for her own child and in danger of losing her parental rights. In another case, the state sued a sperm donor for child support. And whatever you do, if you plan to use a sperm donor, don’t have that donor “donate” their sperm in the … traditional manner, because sperm from sex isn’t considered a donation. Ooof.
For those who may need assistance from reproductive technologies, or who may have genetic material already in reserve (eggs, sperm, or embryos), recent legal changes may already have impacted the choices that are available to you. How do you protect yourself and your genetic material? Will you need to move to another state simply to build the family you’ve always hoped for?
This is an incredibly important episode for anyone who is interested in or in need of ART. Please share and find ways to get involved locally, if you are willing and able.
You can find Ellen Trachman at her website, https://www.trachmanlawcenter.com/, and as always, hear more episodes and learn more about Ruby, Anne, and Seattle Reproductive Medicine at https://thewholepineapple.com/.
Resources mentioned:
I Want To Put A Baby In You podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/
Ellen Trachman’s website: https://www.trachmanlawcenter.com/
