Sperm Donation

Counselling

All parties involved in donation need to be counselled by a fertility counsellor. The counsellor should explore:

• How couples feel about donation and any child born of the treatment.
• The ethical implications of donation
• Telling the child about how they were conceived.
• The rights of the child to sue the donor if the child is born with an illness which transpires that the donor withheld information pertaining to which was not disclosed at the time of their treatment.
• The role of the central register should also be discussed. This is held by HFEA and contains all donor information relating to treatment cycles.
• A child born of a donor cycle can also contact HFEA to find out if they are related to a future partner.

Changes to the law

HFEA has proposed changed to the anonymity law which are to be introduced in April 2005. These changes relate to the anonymity of donors. From April children born of donor cycles will, at the age of 18, have access to identifying information relating to the donor. Donors will be unable to donate anonymously.