When it comes to picking a partner, you might fancy someone who's the life and soul of the party – but what about when it comes to picking the biological father for your child?

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Well, women are more likely to pick a sperm donor who's shy, according to a new study of the 'informal online market' for sperm.

Sperm donors are in such high demand across the world that the online market – including online sperm donation forums and websites – is thriving.

A new study of these websites has revealed that most women's ideal biological father for their children is also intellectual, calm and methodical.

The study by Queensland University of Technology, looked at the informal online market for sperm and interviewed and collected data from 56 men from the UK, Australia, Canada, Italy, Sweden and America.

"You would expect in an online setting, men would have to sell or promote themselves to women, and extroverted men should be better at doing that. But what we find is actually the opposite," Stephen Whyte, who led the study said.

"This online donor market works quite differently to fertility clinics in that it facilitates more interaction between the recipient and the donor.

"This allows us to explore individual donor personality characteristics and how likely they are to be chosen by women as their donor.

"Women were far less likely to choose the sperm of fretful or socially awkward men but at the same time those with lively, extroverted personalities were also less successful in being chosen."

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