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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on November 11, 2004
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/deh581
© 2004 by European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
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Received May 20, 2004
Accepted September 30, 2004

Article

Adolescents with open-identity sperm donors: reports from 12-17 year olds

J.E. Scheib 1*, M. Riordan 2, and S. Rubin 3

1 Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; The Sperm Bank of California, 2115 Milvia St., 2nd Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
2 World, 414, 13th St., 2nd floor, Oakland, CA 94612, USA
3 The Ethics Practice, Berkeley, 355 62nd St., Oakland, CA 94618, USA

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
J.E. Scheib, E-mail: jescheib{at}ucdavis.edu


  Abstract

BACKGROUND: Donor insemination programs can include ‘open-identity’ sperm donors, who are willing to release their identities to adult offspring. We report findings from adolescent offspring who have open-identity donors. METHODS: Using mail-back questionnaires, youths from 29 households (41.4% headed by lesbian couples, 37.9% by single women, 20.7% by heterosexual couples) reported their experience growing up knowing how they were conceived and their interest in the donor's identity. RESULTS: Most youths (75.9%) reported always knowing, and were somewhat to very comfortable with their conception origins. All but one felt knowing had a neutral to positive impact on their relationship with their birth mother and, separately, co-parent. The youths’ top question about the donor was, ‘What's he like?’ and >80% felt at least moderately likely to request his identity and pursue contact. Finally, of those who might contact the donor, 82.8% would do so to learn more about him, with many believing it would help them learn more about themselves. No youth reported wanting money and few (6.9%) wanted a father/child relationship. We also discuss differences found among youths from different household types. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the youths felt comfortable with their origins and planned to obtain their donor's identity, although not necessarily at age 18.

Keywords: adolescence; disclosure; donor insemination; open-identity sperm donor; parenting.
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