Category: Uncategorized

  • DI – Donor Insemination

  • ICSI – Intracytoplasmic sperm injection

    ICSI – the egg is fertilised with a sperm chosen by a lab technician, thus replacing natural selection.

  • AID – Artificial Insemination by Donor

    AID was the term used in the UK for Donor Conception up until fairly recently. British Medical Journal, 1 (4384) (1945), pp. 40-43, Artificial Insemination, Barton M., Walker K., Wiesner B.

  • GIFT – Gamete intrafallopian transfer

    Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) is a process where a collected egg and sperm are placed in a woman’s fallopian tubes and the expectation is that nature will do the rest. It was often used for religious reasons. Historically GIFT was used a fair bit but its use gradually declined as its success rates were low.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamete_intrafallopian_transfer

  • IVF – In vitro fertilisation

    The world’s first ‘test tube baby’ was born on 25th July 1978 in the UK: Louise Brown. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_vitro_fertilisation

  • Genealogical Bewilderment

    Genealogical bewilderment or genetic bewilderment, refers to the psychological distress and confusion that can arise from not knowing or being unsure of one’s biological ancestry. Genealogical bewilderment can lead to a variety of psychological issues, including anxiety, identity confusion, feelings of isolation, and a sense of incompleteness. Not knowing about one’s genetic roots can disrupt…

  • Sperm Mixing in Historical Donor Conception Practices

    Sperm mixing in historical donor conception refers to the practice of mixing semen from an infertile husband with semen from an anonymous sperm donor, which was then used for artificial insemination. Sperm mixing was a deception by the fertility industry aimed to not emasculate the husband in the situation. Fertility clinics were in the business…

  • Sibling Season

    “Sibling Season” in donor conception refers to the period when people are more likely to unexpectedly discover that they are donor conceived (conceived through sperm, egg or embryo donation) through commercial DNA test kits or online matching services and then also to discover that they suddenly and unexpectedly have donor siblings. “Sibling Season” generally takes…

  • The Unethical Practices of the Bridgett Mason Clinic

    We recognise that the practices described below took place in a different time, when donor conception was poorly regulated and largely hidden from public scrutiny. However, it is vital to share these stories – not to assign blame retrospectively, but to acknowledge the very real and lasting impact they have had on the lives of…

  • Lesley – Conceived 1980

    Name: Lesley Conceived: 1980 Where Conceived: Massachusetts, US https://open.spotify.com/episode/4OoMZHdD0goSNTInwU5YwT?si=zrp_Cs4WS_qok8EIjb3l7w