A complete lack of legislation for informal sperm donations has left women vulnerable to coercion, health scares, and the very real risk that their children will have dozens of half-siblings they may never know.

For Emily, using a Facebook page to conceive was a more attractive idea than an IVF clinic, where a single cycle could set hopeful mothers back by more than $10,000. Most importantly to her, the informal route allowed her to know the donor personally.