Studies on this topic present a consistent pattern that the timing and context of disclosure are central to Donor Conceived People’s (DCP) wellbeing, identity, and family relationships, with early and open disclosure generally linked to more positive outcomes, while secrecy or late discovery is associated with challenges. Drawing on both in-depth interviews and psychological assessments administered over multiple time points, the literature provides insights into lived experiences and developmental patterns over time.
Overall, the literature is strong in capturing these experiences, but is limited by the fact that those who have more challenges or do not know that they are donor conceived are less likely/unlikely to take part in research. The participants in the studies are generally white and of higher socioeconomic status, and there is a lack of diversity among them in terms of family types and types of donor conception.
Main Papers
Paper 1
How Keeping Donor Conception a Secret Affects Family Relationships and Identity
Authors: Frith, L., Blyth, E., Crawshaw, M., & van den Akker, O. 2017
Key Words: donor conception, secrecy, disclosure, identity, family relationships, trust, narrative, kinship, UK Donor Link
Aim: To explore how secrecy and disclosure of donor conception shape family relationships, identity, and social dynamics from the perspective of donor conceived adults.
Findings: Secrecy around donor conception often created complex family dynamics, including mistrust, identity disruption, and inconsistent patterns of who knew the truth, while disclosure (especially late or accidental) could have negative emotional impacts.
Participants: 65 donor-conceived adults, recruited from UK DonorLink (DNA register). All participants were conceived before 1991 using anonymous sperm donation and most participants were women (50 women, 14 men, 1 unspecified).
Methodology: Participants completed an online questionnaire combining structured questions and open-ended responses.
Paper 2
Does Telling Children Early About Donor Conception Improve Their Wellbeing as Teenagers?
Authors: Ilioi, E., Blake, L., Jadva, V., Roman, G., Golombok, S. 2017
Key Words: donor conception, disclosure, age of disclosure, adolescence, wellbeing, family relationships, identity, surrogacy, egg donation
Aim: To investigate how the age at which children are told about their donor conception affects their psychological wellbeing and family relationships in adolescence.
Findings: Adolescents who were told about their donor conception before age 7 showed more positive family relationships and higher psychological wellbeing at age 14 compared to those told later.
Participants: 141 families total, with 87 reproductive donation families: 32 sperm donation, 27 egg donation, 28 surrogacy, and 54 natural conception families (comparison group). Adolescents aged 14 years, only those aware of their conception participated.
Methodology: A study following families from infancy to age 14, using interviews, questionnaires, and observational tasks to assess family relationships and adolescent wellbeing, alongside data on when children were told about their conception.
Additional Papers where discovery / disclosure of donor conception is referenced but not a main focus
Paper 3: How Effective Is DNA Testing in Helping People in the UK and Ireland Find Their Biological Parents?
Paper 4: How At-Home DNA Tests Are Changing What People Find Out About Donor Conception
Paper 5: How At-Home DNA Tests Are Used by Donor-Conceived People and Families
Paper 6: How Young Adults Feel About Being Donor-Conceived or Born Through Surrogacy
Paper 7: Wellbeing in Donor-Conceived Young Adults
Paper 9: How UK Policies Shape What People Are Told About Donor Conception – and What Is Left Out
Paper 10: How Effective Is DNA Testing in Helping People in the UK and Ireland Find Their Biological Parents?
Paper 11: Should Donor-Conceived Children Be Told Who Their Donor Is at Birth Instead of at 18?
Paper 12: How Donor-Conceived Young Adults in the UK Feel About Using DNA Testing
Paper 13: How Donor-Conceived Adults Use DNA Registers to Find Biological Relatives
Paper 14: How Teenagers Feel About Being Born Through Surrogacy or Donor Conception
Paper 15: Why the UK Birth Certificate System Should Include Information About Donor Conception
Huge thanks to Xinia for putting this page together!