Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 12, 2008 4:40:22 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Autistic Kids Linked to Sperm Donor

Posted Apr 3, 08 8:07 AM CDT in Science & Health 

(Newser) – A New York professor who wanted to become a mother contacted a sperm bank and chose sperm from a donor with a high IQ. When her son turned out to be autistic, she contacted other mothers who used the same donor and discovered some of their kids were autistic as well, CNN reports. Experts warn there's no effective way to genetically screen for the condition.

The exact cause of autism is still unknown, and although scientists believe genes play a part, they are years away from pinpointing which genes may be linked to the condition. The sperm bank has removed the donor from its cataIog of choices, and the autistic child's mother says she wouldn't trade her little boy for anything.

Source CNN

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • FDA Rules Block Import of Prized Danish Sperm

    Aug 13, 08 7:37 AM CDT
    FDA Rules Block Import of Prized Danish Sperm FDA rules banning European sperm imports are driving some would-be American mothers to desperation, the Washington Post reports. Sperm from Danish donors used to be a popular import. But regulations to safeguard the US from a human form of Mad Cow disease have shut down the supply and sperm banks are running low. Critics say the policy is unreasonable.
    More »

  • Sperm Donors May Lose Anonymity

    May 25, 08 7:36 PM CDT
    Sperm Donors May Lose Anonymity The halcyon days of anonymous sperm donation may draw to a close, Newsweek reports, as children's rights and health issues prompt the country’s top three sperm banks to consider a national registry for sperm and egg donors. The list may allow recipients to learn about inherited health risks, and give the progeny of manufactured unions a link to their past. More »

  • Gene Linked to Stress Disorder

    Mar 19, 08 11:16 AM CDT
    Gene Linked to Stress Disorder A gene that may influence an individual's susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder has been identified by psychologists at Emory University, Time reports. A study of low-income African-American adults in the Atlanta area, 80% of whom had experienced trauma, found that certain versions of a gene were linked to higher PTSD rates in those who had a history of earlier trauma, such as child abuse or violence. More »

  • Sperm Donation Not 'Taxable Labor' for Danes

    Feb 6, 08 7:12 AM CST
    Sperm Donation Not 'Taxable Labor' for Danes The Danish government has thought better of a plan to tax earnings from sperm donation just as it taxes any other job, Der Spiegel reports. The catch is that it would have required donors to disclose their identities, which sperm banks said would drive away 93% of their business. It would be quite the loss: Danish sperm is exported globally and has helped impregnate 15,000 women.  More »

  • DIY Gene Test: Get Results in the Mail

    Nov 6, 07 12:45 PM CST
    DIY Gene Test: Get Results in the Mail A new British company has developed a home DNA test that determines whether customers are genetically predisposed to ailments such as breast cancer, heart disease, obesity, and osteoporosis. Users scrape a cheek with a swab, sign a special waiver if they want to know results even for incurable diseases, such as Alzheimer's, and send it off. The results come back in the mail. More »

Specialists encourage autistic children to interact. Scientists are working to pinpoint which genes play a part in causing the condition.   (KRT Photos)
Several children from a sperm donor turned out to be autistic. Expert say it is impossible to screen for the condition until the genes responsible are pinpointed.   (Shutter Stock)
An autistic child studies a flash card held by his instructional assistant.   (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

genetics  • autism  • genetic screening  • sperm bank  • sperm donors


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Science & Health Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »