In a staggering combination of personal philanthropy and high-tech reproductive science, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has announced a remarkable initiative offering free in vitro fertilization to women choosing to use his sperm.
In perhaps a most radical turn, far removed from his usual venture of high-tech investments, the creator of the direct and secure messaging service, Telegram, Pavel Durov, has made an unprecedented offer to women who want children but cannot conceive.
Being unorthodox in his views and ventures, Durov has revealed that he is ready to offer women with the choice to opt for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) free of cost as long as the produced gamete can give rise to an offspring; all expenses covered.
He has joined Altravita, one of the world’s best fertility clinics, with which he has partnered to make this possible. Being one of the most professional and premium clinics that will store and nurture his sperms, Altravita promises participants to be provided with the best care under the highly specialized reproductive health professionals. The donations will be well-managed to the women who will be determined by Durov’s agreement. This campaign has attracted massive attention because of the unique and generosities of Durov, who covers all the expenses associated with the IVF treatment, which usually proves expensive for many families.
The process, however is selective. The women seeking IVF treatment should fall under the 37 years of age mark and be healthy. They will have a preliminary consultation with Altravita specialists in which doctors would explain them the IVF procedure process and consider whether they would qualify or not. The doctors at the clinic will start treating the accepted women through the IVF process.
Durov’s sperm donation initiative, which is still in a developing stage, has an interesting background story. In a post shared on his Telegram channel, Durov explained the background of how he became involved in sperm donation. “I was just told that I have over 100 biological kids. How is this possible for a guy who has never been married and prefers to live alone? “He quipped that it has been a non-traditional journey that led him here.
His first donation occurred about 15 years ago when a close friend, who was infertile, requested he donate his sperm. “I made fun of him before realizing he was dead serious,” Durov said. Later, Durov obliged, and this opened doors to a greater and more meaningful role in helping others.
Heidarpour, the director of the clinic, begged Durov to continue donating his sperm for worldwide shortage of healthy sperm. According to the clinic, there has been a surge in demand for quality sperm that compelled Durov to increase his donation. The reports say that so far, his donations have helped over 100 families in 12 countries.
According to Durov, his motive is not to merely provide sperm. His aim was to dispel a certain taboo perception that dimmed this process. “Sperm donation should not be something to be ashamed of,” Durov said. “It is a vital resource for families that have difficulty conceiving, and I hope my contribution will inspire more men to donate.”
It is not only about sperm donation but also breaking into traditional norms and expectations. “Defy convention—redefine the norm!” Durov urges, with hope that what he is doing inspires the masses to take sperm donation as contributing positively to families in need.
This exceptional offer could make Durov’s initiative open the gates to future dialogue about the issue of sperm donation and the far-reaching prospects of family planning around the world. When this project develops, time will tell how many women will take up the offer, and whether this unusual approach to building a family will strike a chord with people around the world.