Panel of Donor Conceived Adults

More children are being conceived with donor egg, sperm, and embryo through third party reproduction and IVF. We can learn from the generation that went before. What was their experience growing up? Did their parents tell them of their donor conception? Does their donor conception affect how they feel about their family? Join our panel of four adult who were conceived with the help of a donor.

Listen

Hit the Highlights
  • How old were you when your parents told you that they used a donor to conceive you?
  • How did you find out?
  • Was it important to you to know that you have a different genetic background than your father? Was it important to you to know that you were conceived with donor sperm? And if so, why is it important?
  • Did you think about your donor often? At what age?
  • Have you ever had contact with your donor?
  • We have on our site an essay from a donor conceived young women who viewed her donor conception positively because it made her feel very wanted to know that her parents had worked so hard to get her. Do you feel this way?
  • How important is it to you to find or have information on half siblings from the same donor?
  • Let’s talk about some of the reason’s parents fear telling their children of their donor conception:
    • It will be confusing to young children.
    • Extended family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) will treat the donor conceived child differently.
    • It will affect how connected they feel to their father — the man who raised them.
    • It will affect how they feel about their family.
    • Young children will not understand that this is private information that is not to be shared.
  • Do you ever feel the need to tell others how you were conceived either now or when you were younger perhaps to explain a physical difference in looks or something? If so, do people understand?