Pavel Durov, the co-founder of the social media platform Telegram, has stated in a post on his Telegram channel that he is a biological father of more than 100 kids in 12 countries.
The story came as a surprise to many as his telegram channel with 5.82 million subscribers got to know that Durov had been an active sperm donor in the previous years.
The reason for being a sperm donor he stated, was to “destigmatise the whole notion of sperm donation and incentivise healthy men to do it” so that more struggling families can have kids.
“Defy convection - redefine the norm!” he wrote on his telegram
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It all started fifteen years ago when Durov was approached by his married friend who wanted him to be a sperm donor as the couple had fertility issues and difficulties conceiving a baby.
Initially, he thought they were joking and laughed at it, before realising "they were dead serious."
At the clinic where Durov donated his sperm, he was told that “high-quality donor material” was short in supply and that it was his “civic duty” to donate more sperm to help more couples anonymously.
As of 2024, he has stopped being a sperm donor. But, he does not discount the possibility of at least one IVF clinic having his sperm, available for anonymous use for families who want to have kids.
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Pavel Durov plans to open-source his DNA to make his biological children find each other more easily. He also added that he does not regret being a sperm donor, and feels proud about his contribution when the shortage of healthy sperm has become an issue worldwide.
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