UK DonorLink

Suggested Reading

Who am I - Experience of donor conception Published by: Idreos Education Trust - please click here for more details Cost: £6.95
The book is a collection of essays to raise awareness of the impact of donor conception on the offspring and on his/her social family. The book is intended for the general reader and those with a personal or professional interest in donor conception. It is being distributed by: The Anscombe Bioethics Centre 17 Beaumont Street Oxford OX1 2NA Tel: 01865 610212 or [email protected] Contributors are: Christine Whipp Joanne Rose Louise Jamieson With Foreword by: Dr Alexina McWhinnie

Voices of Donor Conception � edited by Mikke Morrissette in affiliation with the Donor Sibling Registry. The first volume in this collection of real stories about people affected by the donor conception. The volume includes first person essays designed to take some of the stigma out of donor conception and enable more open conversation for families affected by donation.
Essays include The honest fears of an infertile father The motivation and concern of a sperm donor who is in contact with an adult offspring The insight of 2 experts who have had contact with thousands of families affected by donor conception Three donor conceived adults reflect on their origins, as well as the misperception of what it means to them. Specific recommendation, some controversial for change within the industry

Let the offspring speak Discussions on donor conception (1997) Published by the Donor conception Support group of Australia ISBN 0646324942. The book is comprised of papers written by adult offspring, sperm and egg donors, Parents of donor-conceived children, professionals and legislators. It includes papers form the Donor Issues Forum held in Sydney, Australia in November 1996.
Topics include Coming to terms with not being able to have a biological child How do we talk to children about donor conception Do children have a right to information about their donor How do donors conceived children feel when they are adults?

Experiences of Donor Conception � Parents, Offspring and Donors through the Years Caroline Lorbach ISBN 9781843101222, Jessica Kingsley Publ. The book offers an important contribution to contemporary debates on assisted conception services from the perspective of donors, parents, children and donor conceived adults.
The thought provoking book explores the process of donor conception, form finding about infertility problems, to considering donor conception, how and if to tell children of their conception, and how those children feel as the adult offspring of a donor. Tackling difficult subjects such as disclosure and offspring's access to information about the donor, this book is a much-needed resource for families and professionals.

Choosing to be open about donor conception The experiences of parents. (2002) by Sharon Pettle and Jan Burns. Publ by the donor conception network. In this booklet a total of 52 parents who had used sperm or egg donation to create their families took part in a study undertaken by 2 clinical psychologists. They include families from a variety of circumstances with quotes from the families themselves included in the text.

Truth and the Child 10 Years on � Information Exchange in donor assisted conception (1998). Edited by Eric Blyth, Marilyn Crawshaw and Jennifer Speirs . Publ. By Basw. With 2,500 children born every year in the UK using donated gametes or embryos, what information should they be given about their donors? This book consists of a wide-ranging series of essays addressing the rights of donor-conceived offspring to have information and access to their genetic parents.
It compares adoption law with the rights of donor conceived people under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (1990) and has chapter by a DI mother, the genetic mother of surrogate twins, and egg donor and a donor conceived adult who found out about her origins when she was 41.

Families following assisted conception � what do we tell our children By Alexina McWhinnie. Publ by Univ of Dundee Social Work Dept. ISBN 1873153236. This book is base on a uk study of 23 DI and 31 ivf families. The author discussed the practical and ethical dilemmas of secrecy in assisted conception.
It suggests ways in which children can be given information as they grow and in different situation. The book includes a table of child development issues and of events that might stimulate questions from donor conceived children, plus a list of question for parents to consider in relation to telling.

Infertility and Assisted Conception by Eric Blyth- Practice Issues for Counsellors BASW 1995. The book represents the contribution of those involved in counselling services in relation to infertility and assisted conception. There are chapters on assisted conception, surrogacy, ethics and values in assisted conception, counselling, donation, and issues for the offspring of assisted conception techniques and conclusions.

Lethal Secrets- The Psychology of donor insemination (1989 ) By Annette Baran and Reuben Pannor. Publ by Armisted Press. The authors of this book use case histories to demonstrate their views that secrecy is harmful and has emotional and psychological effects on all parties involved in donor conception. The book focuses on issues for couples where the male partner has had a vasectomy, on single and lesbian women, as well as the views of a sperm donor.
In a chapter on telling it is suggested that children should not be told about Donor Insemination until they are old enough to understand this concept.

Telling and Talking � 4 booklets and a film � published by the Donor Conception Network written by Olivia Montuschi. This unique resource for parents of donor conceived children and the professional who support them has been written by Olivia Montuschi, the parent of donor conceived children and founding member of DC Network. The Telling and Talking series of materials give detailed information; advice and tips for the parents of donor conceived children on how to approach telling their child.
Whilst the 4 booklets specifically cover the age ranges of 0-7years, 8-11, 12 to16 years and 17+, all are useful and especially the 17+ booklet for parents who have not told their adult children of their origins and are now considering how to tell. Written by the parent of donor conceived young people and based on children's developmental stages, the booklets provide parents with a source of emotional support and practical guidance in finding the right time and language to tell, and to continue conversation with their children over the years. Issues covered are Anxieties about telling Facing fears and overcoming, The age to start telling and language to use for different ages How children's development affects what they understand and how they respond Talking with school, family and friends Telling if a known donor has been used Telling following the ending of anonymity for donors.