Telling your children about the donation

Donating eggs, sperm or embryos makes a unique and significant contribution to another family.  It is something that you and your children can be proud of.  However, it's not always easy to discuss within the family and especially with your children.  This section of the site gives some basic information you might need to know, advice on how you could talk to your children and sources of further help.

First steps

Your donation of eggs, sperm or embryos helps people who may not otherwise be able to have children (except for example through adoption).  It may only be a small part of your life, but this hugely significant gift has consequences for you, for the person born as a result of your donation and for any children you might have now or in the future.

If you choose to become an egg, sperm or embryo donor, your identity can be released, on request, to the donor-conceived person when they reach the age of 18.  Because this raises the possibility of future contact, you may wish to consider whom you will tell, how and when.  As the donation means your own children may have a genetic half-brother or -sister (or a full sibling if you are donating embryos), it is particularly important to think through how you wish to approach the matter with them.

You have chosen to donate in the knowledge that this does not give you parental rights or responsibilities.  Though you may feel confident about your decision, there is no guarantee that your children will understand why you have done this and they won't necessarily feel the same way.