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Finding out about your donor

We hold information on all fertility treatments involving a donor since 1 August 1991. Learn more about what you can find out about your or your child’s donor and genetic siblings.

Connecting donor-conceived people to their origins

Since 1991, we've held a database of information about every fertility treatment carried out in the UK, called the Register.

Donor-conceived people and their parents can apply to us for information held about their donor and genetic siblings on the Register.

For enquiries, contact openingtheregister@hfea.gov.uk.

Preparing to request information

Before you start the process of finding out information about your donor or genetic siblings you may want to take some time to prepare. Getting support from family and friends and thinking through some key questions will ensure you’re ready to take the next step.

Find out more about Preparing to request information.

Your child’s donor and/or genetic siblings

You can apply to us for some non-identifying information about your child's donor and genetic siblings. Find out what you can request.

Home DNA testing and matching

Home DNA testing and matching websites have implications for donor-conceived people. Using one of the home DNA tests these sites offer plus opting in (or not ‘opting out’) of their ‘matching services’, could mean that your donor, or donor-conceived genetic siblings become identifiable to you and vice versa. It’s also possible that a donor-conceived person might be identified by inference, if they have a close genetic relative using home DNA testing and matching services. Even if the donor-conceived person has not used such a service themselves, the information from the matching service may be able to be combined with other publicly available information about the relevant person, and their donor conceived status and/or their identity could be possible to infer.

Donor Sibling Link

If you’re over 18, you can join our Donor Sibling Link and potentially get in touch with your donor-related siblings.

Donor Sibling Link (DSL)

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"Growing up, my donor was discussed openly in the family; it was never a secret or something I felt the need to hide."

Publication date: 2 October 2024

Review date: 2 October 2026