'I had a baby using free sperm from Facebook - a stranger led me into basement'

A woman has said she has "no regrets" after getting a stranger's sperm for FREE on Facebook - but admits she absolutely "would never recommend it".

Laura Coldman, 33, found herself single in August 2018 - but she was desperate to have a sibling for her then-six-year-old.

In June 2020, she decided to turn to the social media site to find a sperm donor, and two months later, a donor messaged Lauren directly, offering his services.

Laura sought reviews of the donor from a private group chat with mums who had children via sperm donation and says he came "highly recommended".

She visited him in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and went to his house for her self-insemination. The mum underwent three further donations over the course of seven months before discovering she was pregnant in July 2021.

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Her little boy, Calum Anthony Ryan, was born on 21 April, 2022 at Royal Infirmary Hospital, Leicester, weighing 8lbs 8oz.

Despite the fact Calum is the "light of her life", Laura says she wouldn't recommend sperm donation over Facebook. She says she now realises her son's biological father "could be anyone - a criminal or have mental health issues" and she would be none the wiser.

Laura, a liaison officer, from Leicester, East Midlands, said: "At first I thought the Facebook group was a joke, but the more I studied the page, the more I warmed up to it.

"The donor messaged me pretty much right away - offering his services. I asked around in a different private group to make sure he was legitimate - he came highly recommended.

"Six months later, I went to his home to collect the first donation. He barely said two words to me, I thought it was weird at the time. But I was desperate to be a mum again," she continued. "It took four donations for me to fall pregnant with Calum."

"He's my world, but he's also non-verbal. I'm awaiting an autism diagnosis. I don't think I'm neurodivergent - which could mean the donor is. Other mums who have had children with the same donor have children who have neurodivergent traits.

"I wouldn't be without Calum, but I wouldn't recommend Facebook sperm donation to anyone. You don't know enough about the person. They might not disclose things about their past or their medical history.

"He could have been a convicted criminal or have serious mental health issues - I'd just never have known."

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Lauren continued: "I told him when Calum was born - sent him a handful of updates since but I haven't spoken to him in the last year.

"It was risky and I don't regret it because I have my beautiful son - but I absolutely wouldn't do it again and wouldn't recommend it to others either. You never truly know what you're getting into."

Speaking about the first time she 'collected' her first donation from the unnamed man, Laura said: "My friend drove me and waited outside - I didn't know what to expect. The donor barely spoke to me and led me to a designated room in the basement of their home.

"It was like a waiting room, and 10 minutes later, he reappeared with the sample in a syringe. I inseminated myself then and there, waited 20 minutes on the sofa and went home.

"I did this three more times over the course of seven months before falling pregnant in July 2021."

She describes Calum's birth as "emotional". "I couldn't believe it when I held him in my arms," she said.

"It wasn't until last year that I realised that Calum has complex additional needs. He's non-verbal and doesn't register danger like a child his age might. I've had to remove the furniture from his room because he'll climb every inch of his room.

"He's on a waiting list for another hearing test and then a three-year list for an autism test and speech therapy . I believe that his complex needs are a result of the donor. I don't think I have any neurodivergent traits.

"It plays on my mind all the time if he will ever talk or if I will have to look after him for the rest of my life. But he's only three, so it's in a way early days

She concluded: "I don't regret having a Facebook sperm donor - I wouldn't have Calum if not. To anyone considering the same, be careful and do your research.

"I could have saved the money, but what's the point of going for IVF when I'm not infertile. Even if you go to a registered clinic, you're still taking a stranger's sperm. At least I met my donor."

NHS guidelines for sperm donors require donors to be generally healthy, between 18 and 46 years old, and free from serious medical conditions, significant illnesses, or a family history of inheritable diseases.

They should be screened for infectious diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and syphilis, and provide a detailed verbal personal and family medical history, with no significant inherited conditions. A comprehensive semen analysis and test freeze should also be performed to assess sperm quality.

You can donate to help Laura and little Callum on her GoFundMe page.