What does the law say about donation? 

Until recently people who donated sperm, eggs or embryos could choose to remain anonymous. Donors had to give identifying details for the HFEA register, but these stayed confidential. Under the HFE Act 1990 people could apply to find out if they were conceived using donated sperm, eggs or embryos. They could also check whether they were related to someone they wanted to marry. But they did not have the right to know who the donor was.

Over the past few years, attitudes towards donation and people's right to know about their genetic origins have changed. As a result, on 1 April 2005 a new law came into effect, which allows people conceived through donation to find out who the donor was, once they reach 18.

What if I donated after April 2005?

If you donated from April 2005 onwards, the clinic will have explained that identifying information about you can be given to people conceived from your donation when they reach the age of 18.  In most cases, this will be from 2023 onwards (unless you decide to re-register as an identifiable donor).

A donor-conceived person can ask for the following identifying information about you, as well as the non-identifying information you will also have given:

  • The donor’s name (and their name at birth, if different)
  • Date and place of donor’s birth
  • Last known address (or their address recorded at the time of registration)

What will a donor-conceived person be told about me?

Some parents will have told their children about the donor. The information available to a donor-conceived person from the HFEA Register will vary, again depending on how much non-identifying information you provided at the time and importantly whether you donated after April 2005, or have re-registered as an identifiable donor – in which case they can receive identifying information about you (see above).

This depends on how much non-identifying information you provided on the registration form. Parents can ask for non-identifying information about the donor at the clinic where they are having, or have previously had, treatment. 

How many children could have been born from my donation?
After 1991, there was a limit of 10 ‘live birth events’, which meant that 10 couples or individuals could have children from the same donor.

They might have had a single child, twins or triplets at the birth event, and could subsequently apply to use the same donor to have further children, who would be full genetic siblings to the first child(ren). This was allowed even if the limit of 10 live birth events had been reached.

Where will this information be stored and will it be safe? 

All the details will be kept on the HFEA register. The information is coded and is not available to the general public. Only those with a right to this information by law- in other words donor-conceived people aged 18 or over- will have access to it.

Who is allowed to see the Register?

The law governs who can see the Register. People over the age of 18 (or earlier if they are planning to marry or have children) conceived after August 1991 will be able to contact the HFEA to find out whether they were created using donated sperm, eggs or embryos.   If so, they will be entitled to request any non-identifying information available about the donor(s). They can also be told whether they are related to a person with whom they wish to start a family, or marry.

Information about whether a person has been born as a result of donor treatment can only be given to the individual making a request. It cannot be given to parents, grandparents or anyone else unless a court order has been granted.

It is a criminal offence for HFEA employees or others whose job involves handling information on the Register to release the information to anyone not entitled to it.

Can I get any information about a child created from my eggs, sperm or embryos?

The clinic where you made your donation should be your first port of call. They should be able to tell you whether a baby or babies were born as a result of your donation and, if so, how many births and how many children. They may also be able to tell you the sex or any such children and/or the year they were born. They will not, however, be able to tell you their names. If the clinic is unable to help you, you can contact the HFEA. 

You may also find it useful to look at the following HFEA publication: