DC Journal Club - February Round Up
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Research Recap
I offered a review of the methodological challenges and potential biases affecting research related to donor conception. The more research I consume, the more insight (and opinions) I have about how studies can be improved!
I shared two studies that focused on outcomes for DCP. Groundstroem et al. (2024) examined how adolescents in heterosexual and lesbian-couple families integrate donor conception into their identity, highlighting the importance of family bonds and secure parental attachment. Zadeh & Jadva (2024) reviewed developmental outcomes and family dynamics following assisted reproductive technologies (ART), finding that children conceived through these methods generally develop similarly to naturally conceived children.
Regarding donors, Alland et al. (2024) found no demographic characteristics predict egg donors' preferences regarding open-identity donation programs in the US, suggesting that attitudes toward identity disclosure are influenced by factors beyond basic demographics. Lou et al. (2023) revealed that most Danish men who donated sperm more than a decade ago viewed their donation as an "unproblematic past chapter" with minimal impact on their subsequent lives.
A few studies shed light on parental attitudes about disclosure. Rocha et al. (2023) highlighted predominantly conservative attitudes toward donor identity disclosure in Brazil, revealing tension between a child's potential right to know their genetic origins and parents' preferences for privacy. Siermann et al. (2023) explored how heterosexual parents in the Netherlands navigate non-genetic parenthood following donor conception, revealing the active process of "doing kinship" beyond genetic connections. Lysons et al. (2023) found that UK mothers who conceived through identity-release egg donation often planned to disclose donor conception to their children despite some expressing concerns about potential donor contact.
Other Tidbits
LGBTQ Nation’s Family Building Issue features a helpful article on talking to kids about donor conception (article)
An interesting investigation of Africa’s sperm donor industry (article)
In Missed Conceptions, a donor-conceived woman embarks on a journey to learn about the father she was never supposed to know (film)
A sperm donor reflects on what happens when you suddenly have a new family at age 71 (podcast)
Experts discuss whether there should be limits on the number of people – worldwide – who can be created from the sperm or eggs of the same donor (film)
Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe