Sperm Donor Babies: Telling Donor-Conceived Children About Their Origins

If you’re planning to have a child using a sperm donor in the UK, you will need to consider how and when to tell your child how they came to be conceived.

So what’s the best approach? Is it better to wait until a child is older so they understand completely? Or should you tackle the issue sooner? Do you intend to be open with your child about their genetic origins?

There have been various studies about the impact of telling donor-conceived children how they were born, and it seems that it’s more difficult for a child the later in life they are told.

Counselling support for you

When you have fertility treatment using donor sperm at a licensed fertility clinic in the UK, your clinic is required to offer you counselling – and one of the main topics that is discussed is how to tell your child about their genetic origins.

A good fertility counsellor will have a thorough understanding of the potential issues you and your child will face now and in the future, so you’re prepared and comfortable in using a sperm donor to conceive your family.

External support: Donor-conceived organisations

UK-based Donor Conception Network is dedicated to helping, guiding and supporting UK families created with the help of donors. It promotes openness about donor conception for children and has plenty of useful advice to help you decide when the time is right to tell your child and what to say, it even has children’s storybooks.

UK sperm donors: Giving your child the chance to learn their genetic heritage

One of the biggest advantages of using a UK sperm donor from our licensed sperm bank is that you’ll give your child the opportunity in future to know who helped them to be born, making it even more important to consider how to tell your child about their origins.

Although anonymity exists between you and your sperm donor, the  donor is identifiable to any child that is born using their sperm.

At the age of 18 your child has the right to apply to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which keeps records of all registered sperm donors and associated fertility treatments and births, for details of their sperm donor if they wish to know who they are.

As the person using donor sperm you won’t be allowed to know identifying information about your sperm donor. But you do get to know what they’re like, and even what their wishes and hopes are for the child you may have, thanks to Semovo’s detailed sperm donor profiles.

Find your ideal UK sperm donor for your fertility treatment

If you need a sperm donor to have your family, we can help. You can browse our donor profiles right on our website. When you find your perfect match, just complete our quick online form to register your preference.