Study reveals nuances in how young DCP feel about their origins
'I know it's not normal but it's normal to me, and that's all that matters': experiences of young adults conceived through egg donation, sperm donation, and surrogacy (Jadva, 2023)
Jadva, V., Jones, C., Hall, P., Imrie, S., & Golombok, S. (2023). 'I know it's not normal but it's normal to me, and that's all that matters': experiences of young adults conceived through egg donation, sperm donation, and surrogacy. Human Reproduction, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dead048
Geographic Region: United Kingdom
Research Question: What are the thoughts and feelings of young adults born following egg donation, sperm donation, and surrogacy?
Design: Semi-structured interviews conducted over internet (Zoom) as part of larger UK Longitudinal Study of Assisted Reproduction Families Longitudinal study (seventh phase).
Sample: 35 young adults (mean age 20 years) born from traditional surrogacy (n=10), gestational surrogacy (n=5), egg donation (n=11), and sperm donation (n=9). All from heterosexual couple families. Most had anonymous donors. Majority told about conception by age 4. 74% response rate (35 of 47 eligible participants)
Key Findings:
40% felt their conception made them feel special/unique and 60% felt neutral or unconcerned about their conception. People conceived through egg donation were more likely to say they felt special about it. Most said their feelings stayed the same over time, though some became more positive as they understood it better.
Most rarely discussed their conception but found conversations easy when they occurred. Nobody reported negative reactions when telling others.
70% said they did not know anyone else conceived the same way. Almost none were part of support groups. They rarely searched for information about their conception.
Participants usually felt most comfortable talking about it with their mothers. Almost everyone said not being genetically related to a parent didn't affect their relationship. Only two people felt it had some impact on their relationship with their mother. No one felt it affected their relationship with their father.
Of the 20 people conceived via egg or sperm donation, only one was in contact with the donor. 4 out of 5 participants who were gestational surrogacy conceived and 5 out of 10 participants who were traditional surrogacy conceived were in contact with the surrogate.
Of the 25 people who were not in contact with the donor/surrogate, 44% wished to meet them, 32% did not want contact, and 24% were unsure. Those who did have contact had different types of relationships - some were close, others just connected on social media. Only one person had actively tried to find information about the donor.
Limitations: Not known how non-participants feel about their conception. Sample may be more likely to discuss conception due to long-term study participation. Self-report measures may be prone to social desirability bias. Sample limited to heterosexual couple families. The participants were born before the 2005 UK law change that ensured access to information about their donor's identity at age 18 and information about donor siblings who have expressed interest in contact.
Applications: The authors highlight that this study fills an important knowledge gap by showing that young adults who learned early about their origins and weren't recruited through support groups generally feel positive or neutral about their conception.
Funding Source: Wellcome Trust [grant number 208013/Z/17/Z]
Lead Author: Vasanti Jadva is a researcher at the Institute for Women's Health, University College London, with expertise in the psychological aspects of assisted reproduction.
Regulatory Context
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) serves as independent regulator overseeing fertility treatment and research using human embryos. It was established by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 and amended in 2008.
Fertility treatment is provided at both NHS and private licensed clinics. Single women, female same-sex couples, and heterosexual couples all have equal legal access to fertility treatments, including donor conception. Since 2013, all women qualify for fertility services regardless of marital status or sexual orientation.
Donor anonymity law changed in 2005. Donors who registered after April 1, 2005 must be identifiable. Donor-conceived individuals born from donations after this date can request identifying information (name, date of birth, town of birth, last known address) once they turn 18. For those conceived before April 2005, donors are anonymous unless they have chosen to re-register as identifiable.
If both the donor-conceived person and their half-sibling(s) are on the HFEA Register and request information, the HFEA can tell them whether they’re genetically related. Anyone over 16 can ask the HFEA this question.
The 10-family limit restricts the number of families that can be created from a single donor at UK licensed clinics; this limit applies to both UK donors and imported donor sperm.
Donors can only be compensated for verified expenses: £750 per cycle for egg donors and £35 per clinic visit for sperm donors. Only altruistic donation is permitted.