Philipp Marx
Founder of RattleStork
Philipp Marx is a founder of RattleStork and a former international sperm donor. He writes from first-hand experience about sperm donation, co-parenting, and alternative paths to parenthood.
Before founding RattleStork, Philipp donated sperm in several countries. That experience showed him how differently people approach donor conception, trust, personal boundaries, and co-parenting.
At RattleStork, he combines that perspective with publicly available sources and practical guidance for donors, recipients, and prospective co-parents. His personal experience is not a substitute for medical or legal advice.
Articles by this author
Total published articles:220
Ovulation Trackers Compared: LH Tests, Temperature Trackers, Rings, and Apps
Ovulation trackers are tools that narrow down fertile days using hormones, temperature, or observable body signals.
HIV self-test: how reliable home test kits are, when they work, and what a negative result really means
An HIV self-test can give you clarity fast, but only if you use it at the right point and read the result in context.
Which one of us should get pregnant? How lesbian couples can decide fairly and medically wisely
The question of who should carry the pregnancy usually cannot be answered on emotion alone.
Reciprocal IVF: Process, role choices, odds, and legal questions in the United States
In reciprocal IVF, one partner provides the eggs and the other becomes pregnant.
Home insemination kits: contents, benefits, risks - what really helps
Home insemination kits are sets for at-home use: a needle-free syringe places the sample near the cervix.
Ovarian stimulation: how it works, the medications, the risks, and what really matters in IUI, IVF, and ICSI
Ovarian stimulation does not automatically mean producing lots of eggs.
Natural Insemination: Does It Really Improve Your Odds?
Natural insemination means trying to conceive through unprotected sex with a donor.
Questions to ask your sperm donor
If you are choosing a sperm donor, you need more than gut feeling.
How do I ask someone to be my sperm donor?
Asking someone to be a possible sperm donor is emotional, sensitive, and often full of uncertainty.
Is Your Biological Clock Ticking? 7 Clear Signs and What to Do Next
If you feel like your biological clock is ticking, it is usually about more than age alone.
Getting pregnant as a single woman: safe paths, real obstacles, and a practical plan
Getting pregnant as a single woman is realistic today, but not every option is equally safe, legal, or emotionally sustainable.
Social freezing: freezing your eggs – process, success rates, risks, costs, and alternatives
Social freezing means freezing your eggs earlier in life so they may be used later in fertility treatment.
Dating as a single parent: clear start, safe boundaries, steady progress
Dating can work without overwhelming your everyday routine.
Cross-border fertility: what really matters in treatment abroad
Cross-border fertility care can shorten wait times, open up more donor options, or make treatment possible that is not realistically available at home.
Understanding semen: what is normal, what affects quality, and when a check makes sense
Semen can vary in volume, color, and texture much more than most people expect.
Supplements When Trying to Conceive: An Honest Guide to Folic Acid, Iodine, Vitamin D, CoQ10, and Inositol
If you search for fertility vitamins, you quickly land on product pages full of long ingredient lists and big promises.
Private sperm donation: Which health checks are advisable and what should you insist on?
Health screenings can reduce the risk of infections and unexpected medical problems. They cannot eliminate the risk completely. This is not a pessimistic view but the essence of diagnostics: tests have limitations, and something can change between the time of testing and the donation.
Could my child develop mental illness if I have mental health problems?
Many people with depression, anxiety, ADHD, trauma, or severe mental illness know the thought: What if I pass this on to my child?
Mental Health and Fertility: What Really Matters With Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, and Psychiatric Medications
When trying to conceive collides with depression, anxiety, trauma, or psychiatric medication, the topic can flip from hope to pressure fast.
Testicular torsion: symptoms, time window, and what to do immediately
In a testicular torsion, the testicle twists around the spermatic cord. Blood vessels and the vas deferens run through this cord. If the blood supply is cut off, the testicular tissue can be damaged within a few hours.
Undescended testicle in children: causes, diagnostics, treatment, and why timing matters
An undescended testicle means one or both testicles are not permanently located in the scrotum.
Is there an age limit for fertility treatments?
There is no single age cutoff that applies everywhere.