Majority of parents disclose biological origins to their donor-conceived children

Four out of five parents tell their donor-conceived children about their biological origins, according to new research out of Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

The researchers surveyed 374 parents of children aged from seven to 18 years, and conceived through donor eggs, embryos or sperm, asking whether they had told their children they were donor-conceived. 

"We were pleased to find that 86 percent of parents had shared this information with their children, although think there could be a responder bias, where people who hadn't shared this information with their children may have been less likely to respond to the survey," says Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Cindy Farquhar CNZM, who is also clinical director of Fertility Plus at National Women's Hospital.

The survey was sent out to 1,300 parents who had used clinics for conception and captured the first cohort of donor-conceived children who could legally find out the identity of their donor, under the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (HART) Act 2004, at the age of 18. For background, see Value of disclosing donor conception explored (June 2024).

When people use fertility clinics, they are advised to share with their children from an early age that they were born with the assistance of a sperm, egg or embryo donor. The survey aimed to find out how many did so and why or why not.

International research associates early disclosure with the child being better able to integrate donor conception into their sense of identity. They are also less likely to feel stigmatised and distressed.

Lead author Dr. Karyn Anderson, a doctoral candidate, says that heterosexual couples were less likely to share this information with their children, with 82 percent disclosing, whereas for same sex couples or single women disclosure rates were higher.

"Even so, not all single and same-sex parents disclosed, it wasn't 100 percent," says Anderson.

Of 94 single-parent respondents, 84 (89 percent) had shared their children's donor conception origins with them and of 54 same-sex couples, 52 (96 percent) had told their child or children.

Most parents shared the information with their children when they were under ten years old, which accords with international recommendations, according to the paper published in Fertility & Sterility.

The survey found parents shared information with their children at all ages, although more than half did so before their children were ten and the average was just under seven years old. Children with whom information was shared later didn't necessarily react more negatively than those told earlier.

Around half of respondents said they were in contact with the donors.

The researchers held a hui to share the results and discuss the issues of donor conception in New Zealand with people who were donor-conceived, as well as researchers and fertility clinics.

"Some people told beautiful stories about meeting their donors. Other people were angry they hadn't been told of their donor conception origins as children," Farquhar says.

The team is now conducting a series of interviews with parents who took part in the survey to get a deeper understanding of how they are building families.

The researchers are recommending that clinics follow up with parents after they have had their children, offering support with how to disclose and with linking with donors or same-donor siblings and their families.

For people who would like to find out the identity of a donor, they should contact the clinic where they received the donor sperm, egg or embryo.