Fact check: Danish sperm banks and IQ requirements

A viral claim circulating online that Denmark requires sperm donors to have an IQ of at least 85 is misleading. While one Danish sperm bank, Donor Network, does use an IQ threshold, there is no nationwide legal requirement for donors to meet a specific level of intelligence.

Denmark is known for its liberal sperm donation policies and has at least a dozen active sperm banks, though there is no comprehensive public registry.

The country’s largest internationally recognised sperm banks are Cryos International, often described as the “world’s largest sperm and egg bank”, and the European Sperm Bank.

Cryos International requires donors to be 18 to 45 years old, physically and mentally healthy, legally and medically screened, and residents of Denmark while donating. Danish regulations also limit a single donor’s contribution to a maximum of 12 families.

In 2011, Cryos introduced an additional rule turning away red-haired donors, citing sufficient supply. Similarly, the European Sperm Bank screens for serious hereditary conditions and sexually transmitted infections.

Despite online claims, IQ requirements do not apply to all Danish sperm banks. Donor Network, based in Aarhus, is an exception. The bank’s CEO, Jakub Knudsen, confirmed that the institution requires donors to have an IQ of at least 85 and excludes those with a criminal record.

“As far as we know, we are the only bank in the world with these requirements,” Knudsen added. 

Confusion began after a November article by Danish broadcaster DR highlighted Donor Network. A later social media post reinterpreted the article, leading many to mistakenly believe that IQ requirements were mandatory across Denmark. The topic has since sparked debate and memes online.

The issue also raises ethical questions. Screening for hereditary conditions can reduce the risk of passing on serious medical issues. There was a Danish case between 2007 and 2018, when a donor with a cancer-related gene mutation fathered 52 children. However, assessing potential donors based on IQ or criminal record is far more controversial.

Daniela Cutas, associate professor of medical ethics at Lund University, notes that intelligence and criminal behaviour are influenced by both genetics and environmental factors, making it difficult to justify such screening.

Knudsen, however, argues that IQ is strongly heritable (50-80%) and correlates with outcomes such as academic performance, income, and even health risks such as ADHD.

“We wouldn’t feel comfortable accepting these individuals as donors, nor recommending them to our own patients,” he said.

In short, while Donor Network applies an IQ threshold, the claim that Denmark as a whole rejects donors based on IQ is false. Prospective donors across the country still undergo medical and genetic screening, but there is no universal IQ requirement.

Copied