2023 Opening The Register: A Landmark Year for Donor Conception.
- Ishola Agbaje
- Dec 14, 2023
- 1 min read
Updated: Dec 15, 2023
In the early days of donor-assisted reproduction, donors were assured complete anonymity. The concern was that egg and sperm donors would otherwise be discouraged from contributing to assisted reproduction.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) consulted both donors and donor conceived people and found there was a strong desire on both sides to leave the door open to potential contact if both parties wanted that.
On the 1st of April 2005 the law changed allowing donor conceived people access to non identifying information at the age of 16 and identifying information at the age of 18. Examples of the information available about the donor are given below
Age 16
Physical description (height, weight, eye, hair and skin colour)
Year and country of birth
Ethnicity
If the donor had children at time of donation (number and gender)
Marital status
Relevant personal and family medical history
Additional information provided such as job, religion, skills, interests, reasons for donating, a goodwill message and a personal description (if written).
Age 18
Full name (now and at birth)
Date and town of birth
Most recent address
2023 is a landmark year as donor conceived people who were conceived using donations from donors who registered after 1st April 2005 are turning 18 and can for the first time request identifiable information.
Whilst a donor conceived person has the right to this information, a donor is under no legal obligation to meet or respond to contact from that person. The prospect of contacting a donor or being contacted by a donor conceived person can give rise to a lot of complex feelings and emotions which may change over time.
Thankfully there are a number of resources to help both donors and donor conceived people such as a support and intermediary service offered by the HFEA and charities such as the Donor Conception Network.
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