Hamersma, Richard J.

Sperm Germ

Joseph and Mary Lou were waiting to have a child until they were better prepared financially, among other personal reasons. Now their decision, or anyone else's decision, to have a child just became more complicated by a government edict. The government is passing a law requiring a mandatory vasectomy of all males at the age of eighteen. Married males of any age are required to have an immediate mandatory vasectomy but are allowed to deposit sperm samples before the vasectomy. The government states that this policy is necessary due to increasing population growth, significant economic problems, high unemployment, and problems with adequate food distribution since many people were unable to provide for their families. The edict has one requirement that would give any couple pause. All sperm will be deposited in a tightly controlled universal sperm bank. Records will be kept on the depository assuring that they had complied with the law. And most frightening of all, the sperm will be unlabeled. It could contain unknown characteristics and possibly defects or germs. Did Joseph and Mar Lou wait too long?