Conceiving with a Donor Archives - Donor Conception and Beyond

Sperm Donor Family Limits (and Why They’re a Farce)

Posted on July 17, 2019January 12, 2021 by Gail

*Names have been changed to protect the individuals’ privacy Once Stephanie* had overcome the initial shock of becoming a new parent, she started investigating whether her donor-conceived child had any siblings ‘out there’. At which point, another round of shock kicked in. Stephanie discovered that her daughter has 37 half-siblings. The Importance of […]

Is Your Egg or Sperm Donor Healthy? 9 Things to Consider Before Choosing a Donor

Posted on March 14, 2019January 12, 2021 by Gail

Are you in the process of choosing a donor, or donors? Do you know whether the donor you’re considering is actually a healthy person? Is there a possibility that the person contributing 50% of your future child’s DNA is a heavy drinker, smoker, or even a fitness fanatic? And if so, why do any of […]

Part Three: Twelve Ways You Can Minimise the Risks (When Assessing Donor Profiles)

Posted on January 24, 2019April 24, 2019 by Gail

Welcome to the third article in this 3-part blog series: ‘Truth and Lies, and How to Minimise the Risks’ In case you missed them, here’s Part One and Two: Part One – Do Sperm and Egg Donors Lie? Part Two – Do Sperm and Egg Banks Cut Corners? Note: *indicates that name has been changed […]

Part Two – Do Sperm and Egg Banks Cut Corners?

Posted on January 11, 2019April 24, 2019 by Gail

Welcome to the second article in this 3-part blog series: ‘Truth and Lies, and How to Minimise the Risks’ In this three part blog series, you’ll hear from sperm and egg donors, donor recipients and donor-conceived people about their experiences of lies, how sperm and egg banks cut corners, and how you can minimise the risks… […]

Part One – Do Sperm and Egg Donors Lie?

Posted on December 17, 2018March 14, 2019 by Gail

Welcome to the first article in this 3-part blog series: ‘Truth and Lies, and How to Minimise the Risks’ In this three part blog series, you’ll hear from sperm and egg donors, donor recipients and donor-conceived people about their experiences of lies, and the subsequent impacts on donor-conceived children… * Note: all names have been changed […]

Should You Choose a Donor Who Looks Like You?

Posted on November 29, 2018June 3, 2021 by Gail

* Note: all names have been changed to protect the individuals’ privacy. Back in the ’70s when feminists were dissing pinafores and donning protest banners, and donor sperm was for ‘Mr. and Mrs.’ couples only, physicians selected the sperm donors (which, in many cases, included their benevolent selves) on behalf of their customers. And as […]

Are Donor-Conceived Children at Risk of Incest?

Posted on August 3, 2018November 29, 2018 by Gail

Depending on the type of donor you choose, your donor-conceived children may be at risk of incest. Consider the following scenario… A woman walks into a bar. She sees an attractive person at the other end of the bar; admires the lush, chocolate brown hair (just like hers), gets lost in the deep emerald […]

Fertility Clinics in Australia – 8 Rules you Need to Know

Posted on July 27, 2018December 17, 2018 by Gail

Did you know that fertility clinics in Australia risk having their certification suspended or withdrawn if they don’t conform to certain practices? While Commonwealth and state and territory legislation have not been able to keep up with assisted reproductive treatment (ART), there are standards in place to ensure Australian fertility clinics toe the line, and […]