Get support & advice
Thousands of people in the UK have been born with the help of donated eggs, sperm or embryos.
If you are donor conceived you are entitled to approach the HFEA to find information about where you came from and if you have any siblings also conceived by donation. Accessing information about your donor, or donor-conceived genetic siblings can raise unexpected feelings.
Think through the implications
If you do decide to seek information about your donor, think through how having this information might affect you.
Here are a few of the common issues we have found donor-conceived people face:
Think about what you expect to receive from the HFEA. Will you be disappointed, for example, if your donor has left very little information?
There is also a small chance that the donor you thought was anonymous has chosen to now be identifiable. If so, would you consider getting in contact with your donor?
Have you got expectations about the number of donor-conceived genetic siblings you have? 10 different families are able to use the same donor and have as many children as they like, so it is possible that you could have over 20 donor-conceived genetic siblings. It is also possible that you have none.
We recommend talking these issues through with family and friends. If you’re not comfortable discussing these issues with those around you, there is professional support readily available.
Professional support
To ensure that you have properly thought through the implications of seeking donor information from the HFEA, we strongly recommend that you receive counselling, or similar support.
For advice about counselling services in the UK, contact the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. They can find counselling services in your area.
Your local GP may also be able to refer you to a counsellor.
You may also want to contact the British Infertility Counselling Association (BICA). BICA aims to promote high quality, accessible counselling services.
Other places to go for support
The Donor Conception Network
The Donor Conception Network is a self-help network of over 1,000 families created with the help of donated eggs, sperm or embryos; couples and individuals seeking to found a family this way; and adults conceived using a donor.
UK Donor Link
UK Donor Link is a voluntary register set up to enable donor-conceived people, their donors and their half-siblings to exchange information and – where desired – contact each other.
The UK Donor Link register is for anyone over 18 who was conceived with donated sperm or eggs, or who donated in the UK before the HFEA was set up in 1991.
Further information
Page last updated: 10 February 2010
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