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This article examines how perceptions of what semen is thought to contain affect its value as a marketable product. I explore how donor altruism, intelligence and ethnicity traits thought to be transmitted in sperm are perceived and transacted among representatives of the sperm banking industry, as well as among women who purchase semen for insemination and show how the linkages between the reproductive industry and the sex industry further heighten the commodity-quality of semen donation. I argue that the emphasis placed on altruism, is an attempt to redefine the commodity quality of semen as gift, in order to imbue it with higher emotional and moral value.

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Iran is the only official Shi'a Islamic country, with Ithna-Ashari, or Twelver Shi'ism, as the dominant form. For various reasons, in part due to the interpretive approach to jurisprudence in Ithna-Ashari Shi'ism, but also due to other aspects of Iranian culture, the Iranian approach to medical science and technology is dramatically different from that in most other Islamic countries. In Iran, what is and is not considered Islamically acceptable is constantly being renegotiated depending upon social, political, economic and technological conditions. This kind of flexibility, and often pragmatic approach to social problems, has major positive and progressive implications for health policy on numerous levels. However, the drive to embrace new technologies and capabilities can also precede or override ethical deliberations. Drawing on fundamental religious and ethical debates within the country, as well as interviews and observations in an Iranian transplant center, this article investigates Islamic discourse, perceptions of life, death and the body, and the case of organ sale/donation in Iran.This article is based on a qualitative pilot investigation conducted in 2002 in Shiraz, Iran. Interviews were conducted with health professionals working in

This study evaluated the retrospective perceptions of egg donors regarding information communicated about immediate and long-term risks during the process of becoming an egg donor, and the alignment of that perception with their experiences and expectations of egg donation. Data were collected using an anonymous online survey. Egg donors' demographics, perceptions of being informed about immediate complications and long-term risks, and alignment between their expectations and experiences were analysed. In total, 375 current and former egg donors participated in an online survey about their decisions and experiences. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 57 years, with a median age of 24 years at first donation for compensated donors. The majority of the participants (81%) provided eggs in the USA, and 86.1% reported being compensated beyond direct reimbursement. Overall, 66% of egg donors surveyed reported feeling that their experiences matched their expectations based upon what they had been told during the informed consent process. While most participants (64.8%) felt well informed about potential short-term risks, 55.2% did not feel well informed about potential long-term risks. The findings indicate that while the majority of egg donors felt informed about immediate complications, there are gaps in knowledge about potential long-term risks. Results from this research provide insight into how egg donors understand risks and benefits, and can be used to improve counselling and informed consent forms and processes. The findings also indicate that longitudinal research on the health and well-being of egg donors is needed in order to improve informed consent.