Gamete donors' expectations and experiences of contact with their donor offspring

Abstract

STUDY QUESTIONWhat are the expectations and experiences of anonymous gamete donors about contact with their donor offspring?SUMMARY ANSWERRather than consistently wanting to remain distant from their donor offspring, donors' expectations and experiences of contact with donor offspring ranged from none to a close personal relationship.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYDonor conception is part of assisted reproduction in many countries, but little is known about its continuing influence on gamete donors' lives.STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATIONA qualitative research model appropriate for understanding participants' views was employed; semi-structured interviews were conducted during January–March 2013.PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODSBefore 1998, gamete donors in Victoria, Australia, were subject to evolving legislation that allowed them to remain anonymous or (from 1988) to consent to the release of identifying information. An opportunity to increase knowledge of donors' expectations and experiences of contact with their donor offspring recently arose in Victoria when a recommendation was made to introduce mandatory identification of donors on request from their donor offspring, with retrospective effect. Pre-1998 donors were invited through an advertising campaign to be interviewed about their views, experiences and expectations; 36 sperm donors and 6 egg donors participated.MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCEThis research is unusual in achieving participation by donors who would not normally identify themselves to researchers or government inquiries. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed that most donors did not characterize themselves as parents of their donor offspring. Donors' expectations and experiences of contact with donor offspring ranged from none to a close personal relationship.LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTIONIt is not possible to establish whether participants were representative of all pre-1998 donors.WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGSAnonymous donors' needs and desires are not homogeneous; policy and practice should be sensitive and responsive to a wide range of circumstances and preferences. Decisions made to restrict or facilitate contact or the exchange of information have ramifications for donors as well as for donor-conceived people.STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)The study was funded by the Victorian Department of Health. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERNot applicable.

‘We’re not related in any way, only by blood’: Danish sperm donors and (imagined) relationships

“…Previous studies of donors in various locations have found them to be invested in 'passing on' their genes to worthy mothers, regardless of their investment in parenting (Riggs and Scholz, 2011), and to have a broad range of willingness and active desire for contact (Kirkman et al, 2014;Speirs, 2007). Research into the parents' of donors who discovered their children had donated gametes reported a wide variety of reactions, ranging from enthusiasm and a desire to meet with the donor offspring to confusion and worry (Beeson et al, 2013).…”

Un/familiar connections: on the relevance of a sociology of personal life for exploring egg and sperm donation

“…In comparison, as already mentioned, donors have received much less attention. The research that does exist has tended to be quantitative in nature, exploring mainly anonymous donors' motivations for donating, as well as their attitudes towards donor offspring and potential future contact with said offspring (Crawshaw et al 2007, Daniels and Lewis 1996, Daniels et al 2011, Freeman et al 2016, Jadva et al 2011, Kirkman et al 2014, Speirs 2012, Wheatley 2017; for a systematic review, see van den Broeck et al 2013). However, as pointed out by van den Broeck et al (2013), donors have not been regarded as people in their own right.…”

The right to know versus the right to privacy: donor anonymity and the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Amendment Act 2016 (Vic)

“…Many donors have families of their own and some may have chosen not to disclose to their partner or children that they had donated gametes. Some donors fear that their partners and family members will react negatively to this discovery, seeing donation as a form of infidelity or betrayal 5 . Even with the contact preference provisions of the new law, donors may nevertheless experience psychological distress at the mere fact that their children know their identity.…”