When Adam Zayden saw his older sister struggling to start a family, he knew he could help.
The 25-year-old selflessly donated his sperm to the couple, in order for his sister-in-law to become pregnant. It means that he is now a proud uncle to his biological son.
Adam knew his sister Jade, 29, and her wife Eefje, 30, had been trying to have a baby since 2018 – however they couldn’t find a suitable donor.
The social media influencer from Newham, London, said: ‘They’d become so frustrated with the donor process – it just felt like the right, and easy thing to do.’
His sister-in-law then got pregnant after six months. Eefje, with the help of, Jade, inseminated herself after Adam ‘did his thing’ and now the couple are the proud parents of a baby boy.
Speaking about the big decision he made, Adam said: ‘This whole process has made me so much closer to my sister and her partner.
‘Now they have a little boy, and I’m really happy for them.’
The baby, now 16 months old, was born on 18 March 2023 and weighed 9lb. Adam says he has Jade and Adam’s ‘bum chin’ but looks like Eefje.
According to Jade, ‘children was always something Eefje wanted’ but adoption seemed like a lengthy and expensive process, making sperm donation feel like a more appropriate route for the couple.
The new parents live in Amsterdam, with Jade working as a researcher and developer, and Eefje as a vet, and have said that it was really important for them to have a baby of their own.
However, the process was a difficult one, with friends falling through as potential donors and others inappropriately asking to conceive the ‘natural’ way (have unprotected sex).
Jade revealed: ‘It really was an emotional rollercoaster due to opening yourself up in the most vulnerable of times and being dependent on strangers to help fulfill one of your biggest dreams.’
Artificial insemination isn’t covered by health insurance in the Netherlands – meaning the search can be quite extensive. While the couple didn’t have to pay any fees to donors, they often lost money travelling to meet them and then the plan going astray.
Luckily, Adam was able to come to the rescue. He admitted that the three had previously joked about this scenario, and that it ended up being an easy decision to make.
Not wanting to have any kids of his own, Adam thought it was the perfect opportunity to help his sister and her wife out.
‘It really wasn’t that big of a deal,’ he said.
Adam had to undergo a number of tests to ensure he was suitable donor – this included an STD test, as well as a sperm count.
‘I found out I’m very fertile,’ he added. ‘Which is always fun to find out.’
Doctors then asked him to take a ‘pill’ to boost his sperm count – and he was told to keep an eye on when Eefje was ovulating.
He shared: ‘Every night during that one-week period, Jade would take the dog out for a walk.
‘I’d go upstairs, do my thing, and hand Eefje the sperm.’
Adam did this almost every day each month (six or seven, to be exact), between December 2021 and June 2022. Finally, Eefje discovered she was pregnant.
Jade has confirmed that the couple are happy with their choice, saying ‘It was great having someone you really know and trust, because it’s such an emotional time.’
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