Being a single-parent is financially and emotionally taxing. Studies show that single-parents are more likely to live in poverty, and that mothers earn and learn less, since they have to pay for child care and take more time off from work to care for a child.
That may be why more single women are trying to find a sperm donor who is also involved in a child’s life. Sites like Modamily.com, PollenTree.com and Familybydesign.com serve as places for people to meet potential co-parents: they’re kind of like a Match.com for people who want to have kids without having sex.
“This could be a seismic shift in how people view what a family is,” said Ivan Fatovic, the founder and CEO of Modamily, which launched in Feburary 2012. Fatovic started the site after talking with some girlfriends in a bar in New York: They were all approaching 40, and hadn’t found a mate, and were worried about finding the right partner for them—and father for their children—in a few short years.
“We thought—we can introduce people who share the same vision and values. We’re not saying it’s better or worse, but we think it’s an additional option.”
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