Ep 13 Passata, Passata!

Ep 13 Passata, Passata!

"Unofficial sperm donor sells BBC 'baby batter' delivered with tomato passata." Yes, you read that right. Inspired by a recent BBC Wales article, this week on the Sperm Sisters podcast we dive into the alarming rise of "DIY" fertility options and the hidden risks that come with them. For many people, soaring fertility treatment costs have made unofficial sperm donation seem like a more affordable route to parenthood. But that lower price tag can come with serious consequences: unregulated donors, no medical screening or background checks, legal uncertainty, and in some cases, donors later seeking parental rights. But before all that… would you trust a carton of tomato passata as a way of keeping sperm frozen in the post? We certainly wouldn't.  Read Gemma Dunstan's article here: "Unofficial sperm donor sells BBC 'baby batter' delivered with tomato passata." [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1j2349j8zjo]  Make sure you also watch: "Swipe Right for Sperm" [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002xlyn] on BBC iPlayer  -------------------------------------- Get in touch and share your story with us, we're looking to interview people on upcoming episodes!  Email us at: spermsisterspod@gmail.com Follow us on insta: @spermsisterspodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spermsisterspodcast/] Subscribe on YouTube: @SpermSistersPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SpermSistersPodcast]

Ep 12 Before You Knew

In this deeply personal episode of Sperm Sisters, we share the exact moment we discovered we weren't biologically related to our dads. The split-second before and how our entire identities changed after.  As three donor-conceived sisters born during the largely unregulated era of 1980s sperm donation, we revisit the conversations that changed our lives forever and the emotional aftermath of learning that our identities, family histories, and sense of self were not what we thought they were. Guided by Nat, this episode explores what it feels like to have the rug pulled out from under your feet, how people process life-altering news, and the complex reality of rebuilding your identity after donor conception discovery. If you've ever wanted to be a fly on the wall in a therapy session, then this episode is for you. Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of death, grief, family trauma, and loss of identity. If today isn't the day for that, may we gently redirect you to one of our sillier episodes (perhaps Viking Sperm?) and we'll see you next time. Support for Donor-Conceived People If you were conceived before 1991 in the UK, you may be entitled to two free counselling sessions through the Donor Conceived Register (DCR) service, with additional sessions available at a subsidised rate. You can register with the DCR without submitting DNA. For more information, contact the Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust: donorconceivedregister@lwh.nhs.uk [donorconceivedregister@lwh.nhs.uk] 🎙️ Sperm Sisters Podcast – Before You Knew 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all podcast platforms 📺 Watch on YouTube -------------------------------------- Get in touch and share your story with us, we're looking to interview people on upcoming episodes!  Email us at: spermsisterspod@gmail.com Follow us on insta: @spermsisterspodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spermsisterspodcast/] Subscribe on YouTube: @SpermSistersPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SpermSistersPodcast]

Ep 11 Viking Sperm

How many children can one Viking sperm donor really create? The answer is probably more than you're comfortable with. In this episode of Sperm Sisters, Gemma takes us on the fictional journey of Danish sperm donor Sven Spermerson. Based on real-world sperm donation practices, fertility industry trends, and current research, we follow Sven's donations across borders to discover just how far one donor's DNA can travel - and just how many families can be created along the way. Along the route, we explore the realities of modern sperm donation, international fertility clinics, and the growing number of donor-conceived siblings connecting through DNA testing. Fair warning: there are wildly offensive Scandinavian accents throughout. We apologise to Denmark in advance. This episode covers: * Donor conception and sperm donation * International sperm banks and fertility clinics * Donor sibling networks * DNA testing and biological connections * Fertility industry regulations * The global impact of a single sperm donor For those new here, Sperm Sisters follows the story of three donor-conceived sisters who found each other as adults. Through humour, honesty, research, and real-life experiences, we're exploring donor conception, identity, DNA discovery, and the fertility industry - one chaotic conversation at a time. 🎙️ Sperm Sisters Podcast – Viking Sperm 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all podcast platforms 📺 Watch on YouTube -------------------------------------- Get in touch and share your story with us, we're looking to interview people on upcoming episodes!  Email us at: spermsisterspod@gmail.com Follow us on insta: @spermsisterspodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spermsisterspodcast/] Subscribe on YouTube: @SpermSistersPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SpermSistersPodcast]

Ep 10 Nature Vs Nurture Part 2

How much of your personality is actually yours… and how much is inherited chaos? In Part 2 of Nature Vs Nurture, Nat takes us deeper into our own experiences as donor-conceived sisters - comparing our habits, personalities, emotional reactions, and the slightly alarming similarities we never expected to share. Through a series of increasingly personal questions, Gemma and Helen open up about the traits, instincts, and behaviours that feel a little too genetically familiar… including some scarily unhinged truths we probably should’ve kept to ourselves. This episode explores: * Nature vs nurture psychology * Genetic traits and inherited behaviour * Donor conception and sibling similarities * DNA, personality, and identity * Real experiences from donor-conceived siblings * How biology can shape behaviour in unexpected ways Part therapy session, part identity crisis. 🎙️ Sperm Sisters Podcast – Nature Vs Nurture (Part 2) 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all podcast platforms 📺 Watch on YouTube -------------------------------------- Get in touch and share your story with us, we're looking to interview people on upcoming episodes!  Email us at: spermsisterspod@gmail.com Follow us on insta: @spermsisterspodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spermsisterspodcast/] Subscribe on YouTube: @SpermSistersPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SpermSistersPodcast]

Ep 9 Nature Vs Nurture (Part 1)

🧬 Are we unique individuals… or just recycled DNA with WiFi access? In Part 1 of Nature Vs Nurture, we spiral into the weird and wonderful world of genetics, inherited traits, and whether our personalities are actually our own… or just biologically pre-installed. We dive into famous cases of identical twins raised apart, the wildly creepy similarities they shared, and ask the ultimate question: are we shaped by nature or nurture? We also uncover some of the traits we’ve clearly inherited (unfortunately), get Mandy back on the phone, and use the Sorting Hat to settle our sisterly similarities once and for all. This episode covers: * Nature vs nurture psychology * Identical twins raised apart * Genetic traits and inherited behaviour * DNA, personality, and sibling similarities * Donor conception and biological identity * Real-life donor conceived experiences Educational? Slightly. Unhinged? Absolutely. 🎙️ Sperm Sisters Podcast 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👉 Follow for more donor conception stories, DNA discoveries, and sister-led chaos. -------------------------------------- Get in touch and share your story with us, we're looking to interview people on upcoming episodes!  Email us at: spermsisterspod@gmail.com Follow us on insta: @spermsisterspodcast [https://www.instagram.com/spermsisterspodcast/] Subscribe on YouTube: @SpermSistersPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@SpermSistersPodcast]