DEEP DIVE: Searching for sperm in a donor 'drought' episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 17, 2026 · 15 MIN

DEEP DIVE: Searching for sperm in a donor 'drought'

from Hack · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australia's 'sperm drought' is prompting people to look online to find a donor. Rather than spend years on a fertility clinic's waiting list, people are increasingly turning to social media and dating-style apps to find a match. But what are the risks of finding a donor online? How can you be sure of their health history (and how many times they're donating)? And, as more single women chose to solo-parent, does something need to change to make legitimate pathways more accessible? In this week's deep dive, we hear from the people donating and looking for sperm online, and find out what's driving Australia's donor shortage.Guests: Dr Lynn Burmeister, fertility specialistAlisha Burns, founder of The Solo Mum SocietyGet the whole story from hack:Follow us on Instagram and TikTokSubscribe to the hack podcastListen on the triple j app or on your radio live every weeknight at 5:30pm

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 17, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

DEEP DIVE: Searching for sperm in a donor 'drought'

0:00 15:00

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Hack?

This episode is 15 minutes long.

When was this Hack episode published?

This episode was published on April 17, 2026.

Can I download this Hack episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!