Talking About Egg Donation Within Donors’ Own Families: UK Identity-Release Donors’ Communication With Their Children

Speaker: Dr Ellen Davenport-Pleasance (City St George’s, University of London)

Summary

The number of egg donors in the UK has increased in recent years, reaching almost 1,800 donors in 2022 (HFEA, 2024). While substantial research has examined disclosure within donor-conceived families, far less attention has been paid to egg donors’ own families, despite the implications of donation for donors’ children, including potential genetic connections to donor-conceived individuals.

This study addresses this gap by exploring how UK identity-release egg donors communicate about donation with their children. In-depth interviews with 19 donors recruited via London Egg Bank were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, focusing on why donors choose (not) to disclose, when they initiate conversations, and how they approach them.

Findings show that disclosure decisions are shaped by perceived relevance within family life, concerns about accidental discovery (including through genetic testing), and differing views on appropriate timing. Communication strategies include age-appropriate explanations, gradual “seed-planting,” and responsive, ongoing dialogue guided by children’s questions.

Overall, the study highlights the nuanced and future-oriented ways donors navigate disclosure within their own families, extending understanding of donor conception beyond recipient contexts. This talk presents these findings and their implications for understanding communication about donor conception within donors’ families.

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