Family dynamics factor in donor identity search process

The motives and experiences of donor-conceived persons requesting the identity of their sperm donors (Widbom, 2024)

Widbom, A., Isaksson, S., Sydsjö, G., Skoog Svanberg, A., & Lampic, C. (2024). The motives and experiences of donor-conceived persons requesting the identity of their sperm donors. Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 48(1), 103413. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2023.103413

Geographic Region: Sweden

Research Question: What are the motives and experiences of donor-conceived persons (DCP) who search for and receive information about their identity-release sperm donor?

Design: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis. Interviews were face-to-face or telephone and were conducted between September 2016 and November 2019. Participants were interviewed after submitting their request for donor information from the fertility clinic where they were conceived. The interview included questions about the participants’ thoughts and feelings in connection with learning about being donor conceived and the effect on their family, thoughts and feelings about searching for information about the donor, and their motives for doing so, as well as thoughts and feelings related to contacting and meeting the donor, and views on family composition and family relationships. Note: Sweden was one of the first countries to implement identity-release donation, passing legislation in 1984 that went into effect in 1985.

Sample: 29 donor-conceived individuals (21 women, 7 men, 1 non-binary) who had requested information about their sperm donor. Participants ranged from 18-29 years. All were conceived through donor insemination to heterosexual couples within an identity-release donation program. About half learned of donor conception in childhood.

Key Findings:

• Donor-conceived people sought donor information for various reasons, ranging from simple curiosity about physical resemblances to deeper desires to understand their personal identity and medical history. Many participants described an interest in other individuals who shared the same donor as themselves, and in the donor's own children.

• The process of obtaining donor information influenced family dynamics, particularly relationships with fathers, which could either strengthen or become strained depending on existing relationship quality. Many participants felt they needed to protect their fathers' feelings while pursuing donor information, leading some to avoid discussing the topic openly within their families. Those who had close relationships with their fathers generally found the process less emotionally charged, while those with distant relationships sometimes hoped finding donor information might fill an emotional gap.

• Clinical procedures that prioritized donor notification before releasing information created additional stress for some participants, making them feel pressured to initiate contact they may not have wanted.

• Learning about being donor-conceived could feel like "losing part of the self." Some described going from "believing I knew who I was to not knowing who I was when looking in the mirror". Many had felt different from their parents during childhood. Finding shared traits with donors (like academic interests or analytical thinking) helped explain these differences. The idea of having multiple donor siblings brought mixed feelings. Some worried about being "one of many" and how this affected their sense of uniqueness. Participants wrestled with attributing their traits to genetics vs. upbringing.

Limitations: Focused only on donor-conceived people from heterosexual couples during the early years of identity-release donation in Sweden, which may not reflect current experiences. Many participants learned about being donor-conceived late in life, which likely influenced their experiences differently than those who knew from childhood.

Applications:

• Disclosure procedures should balance the needs of donors with the best interests of DCP in obtaining information.

• Support should be available to DCP and families to navigate family dynamics

• Donors should be educated on the impact of identity release on DCP and families.

Funding Source: Not specified

Lead Author: Andreas Widbom is a clinical psychologist working in the field of reproductive medicine. The main area of his research is the psychosocial aspects of treatments with donated spermatozoa and oocytes.

Regulatory Context: 

• Sweden was one of the first countries to implement identity-release donation, passing legislation in 1984 that went into effect in 1985.

• Only altruistic gamete donation is allowed. Donors can receive compensation for expenses and inconvenience, but not payment for the gametes themselves.

• Both sperm and egg donation are permitted. Embryo donation became legal in 2019.

• Same-sex female couples have had access to donor insemination since 2005 and IVF since 2016. Single women gained access in 2016.

• Donation is only allowed at authorized fertility clinics. Private arrangements are not legal.

• All prospective donors and recipients must undergo counseling and medical/psychological screening.

• Donors must be 18 years or older.

• Anonymous donation is prohibited. All donors must agree to be identifiable to offspring.

• Donor-conceived individuals have the legal right to obtain identifying information about their donor when they reach "sufficient maturity," typically interpreted as age 18, though no specific age is mandated by law.

• Parents are encouraged, but not legally required, to tell children about their donor conception. However, the information is recorded in medical records that the child can access as an adult.

• There are restrictions on how many children/families can be created from one donor's gametes, but the exact number can vary between clinics.

• A central register of all donor treatments is maintained by the National Board of Health and Welfare.

• Donors do not have any legal or financial obligations to offspring. They are not considered the legal parents.