Resources for Parents

USDCC wants all recipient parents to have the knowledge necessary to best support their donor conceived child through the unique circumstances that often accompany third-party gamete donation. From when and how to tell your child about their genetic origins to connecting with half siblings, we want to equip you with tools for this lifelong journey.

Navigating Pediatrician Visits for Donor Conceived Children

Pediatrician visits are important milestones in a child’s health journey, and for parents of donor conceived children, they may raise questions about what information to share with your child’s healthcare provider. Here are some tips to help you navigate conversations with your child’s pediatrician Be Open and HonestIn an ideal world, medical providers would ask…

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What is a Genetic Counselor and How Can They Help Me?

Genetic counseling offers donor conceived individuals an opportunity to explore their genetic makeup, understand potential health risks, and navigate the emotional complexities of their unique identity. The information below can help you understand genetic counseling and decide if it’s right for you. What is a genetic counselor? Genetic counselors are healthcare professionals that have training…

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Ask a Therapist: Withholding a Known Donor’s Identity until Child is 16

An intended parent wonders about the impact of withholding their known donor’s identity until the child turns 16.

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Ask A Therapist: Struggling with Donor Conceived Son’s Boundaries

A recipient parent struggles with the boundaries his donor conceived son has created around sharing information about siblings and the donor.

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Recipient Parents: Holiday Stressors & Strategies

The holidays can be a joyous time, and they can certainly also bring a unique stress for families who had help to become parents.

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Why I Used a Known Donor and the Factors in My Selection

Stephanie Wicker, a single mother by choice, explains why she ultimately decided against using anonymous donor sperm and opted instead for a known donor.

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Ask a Therapist: Dealing with Child’s Deep Distress after Adulthood Disclosure

A recipient parent seeks advice and resources to address her daughter’s deep distress from the late disclosure of being donor conceived.

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Ask a Therapist: Advice and Resources for Known Donor Arrangement

A future recipient parent wonders about advice and resources available for entering into a known donor arrangement.

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Ask a Therapist: Estrangement after Ignoring Child’s Curiosity about the Donor

A recipient parent wonders how to fix a strained relationship with her child after failing to respond to the child’s curiosity about the donor while growing up.

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Ask a Therapist: Struggling with Stored Donor Embryos

A recipient parent struggles with extra stored donor embryos and clinic restrictions.

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Ask a Therapist: Discussing and Building Relationships with Donor Siblings

A recipient parent wonders how to discuss their child’s donor siblings and when to establish a relationship.

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Ask a Therapist: Sharing Information with a Disinterested Young Child

A recipient parent wonders how and when to share donor information with young children who seem disinterested.

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Ask a Therapist: How Can I Convince My Wife to Reach Out to Our Sperm Donors?

A parent wonders how to convince their wife that they should reach out to their sperm donors for the sake of their children.

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Ask a Therapist: How to Discuss Donor Conception with a Toddler

A recipient parent wonders how to discuss donor conception with her two-year-old child.

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Ask a Therapist: How to Do Single Parenthood by Choice “Right”

An intended parent wonders whether it is possible to do single parenthood by choice “right.”

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Ask a Therapist: How to Answer Questions When Your Country Mandates Anonymity

A recipient parent wonders how to navigate questions from her child when her country mandates anonymity.

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Ask a Therapist: How to Discuss Familial Gamete Donation

An intended parent wonders how her potential donor and brother in law would tell his children about donating sperm.

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Ask a Therapist: Connecting a Child with Siblings

A recipient parent wonders about how and when to connect their child with donor conceived siblings.

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Ask a Therapist: Open ID at 18 or Known Donor

An intended parent wonders about the pros and cons of choosing a known donor versus an Open-ID-at-18 donor with her wife.

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Ask a Therapist: Choosing A Donor

An intended parent wonders about the best way to choose a donor for the benefit of the future child.

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Ask a Therapist: Using an Anonymous Egg Donor from Peru

An intended parent wonders about the implications of using an embryo created with an egg from an anonymous donor in Peru.

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2022 Sperm Bank Data Survey

USDCC sought to collect data on sperm banks across the United States. A survey was conducted in which sperm bank websites were reviewed for relevant data and then those data were confirmed via contact with representatives from each bank.

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The Harmful Impact of Secret Keeping

Parents who want to keep donor conception a secret are usually trying to protect their child from emotional and relationship distress, but secrets are no guarantee of protection. Just as anonymity is hard to protect for a lifetime, genetic information is hard to keep secret for a lifetime.

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Ten Things Parents of Donor Conceived People Need to Know

Deciding to use donor sperm or eggs is often a result of a fertility complication. In this emotional process, the consideration of how donor conceived people (DCP) will feel about their conception is often overlooked.

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When should I tell my child that they are donor conceived?

The answer is simple: as soon as possible. Donor conceived people (DCP) need to know the truth about their conception from birth, or at the very least, prior to age 3.

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