1. Post-conception Contact among Gamete Donation Participants
Jean Benward, L.C.S.W.
Counseling Offices of Jean Benward
San Ramon, CA 1

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the conclusion of this presentation, participants should be able to:
1. Discuss the meaning of the genetic link for participants in
gamete donation who seek contact.
Describe the dilemmas posed by contact among the donor-conceived, their parents, donors, and genetic siblings.
3. Identify the counseling implications for participants in gamete donation.

3. DISCLOSURE
Nothing to disclose

4. CURRENT STATUS
Wide range of policies in gamete donation about openness
Amount of information shared about donors
Arrangements for mutual consent contact
Identifiable donors
While programs debate policies
Participants in donor conception are searching for genetic relatives
Donor-conceived are looking for their donors
Parents of donor-conceived children are looking for ‘siblings’
Donors are making themselves available for contact
Freeman 2009; Beeson 2011; Cushing 2010; Jadva 2009; Ravitsky 2010; Johnson 2011

5. THE GENETIC CONNECTION IN GAMETE DONATION
We have an uneasy relationship with the genetic connection in gamete donation
A new form of family building Daniels 2002
and/or
A re-creation of the traditional model of kinship Carsten 1998
If the genetic tie had no significance there would be no need to hide it in assisted conception Grace et al., 2008; Braverman 2010

6. A DUAL IDENTITY During its life cycle
The donor-assisted family exists in a psychological space where there is tension between genes and relationships.
Harrington 2008; Grace 2008
Different family members ascribe different meanings to genes and relationships Kirkman 2004
The meanings can change over time Kirkman 2004

7. GENETIC LINKS HAVE MEANING
Genetic links have psychological and social meaning
The traditional family construct
The very definition of kinship
New medical focus on “genes”
Cultural importance placed on genealogy
Represents continuity and connectedness
Family resemblance talk
The value that is given to physical likeness in families
Becker 2005; Grace et al., 2008; Harrington et al., 2008; Ravitsky 2010; Sawyer 2009

8. BELIEFS Looking for genetic relatives rests on idea that:
Genealogical knowledge is important to a sense of identity.
Ravitsky 2010; Benward et al., 2009
Genetic links represent “powerful knowledge.” Hargreaves, Collard
Links and knowledge do not undermine the family unit
Grace 2008
The nuclear family is not the only legitimate form of kinship.
Hertz, Mattes 2011; Levine 2008; Collard 2011

9. CONSTRUCTING RELATEDNESS
Donor-linked relations do not fit neatly into the Euro- American understanding of kinship relationships.
New and complicated genealogy/family tree
Donor-linked families create new kinship links
By necessity these links and relationships are fluid
Links reflect a larger dialogue about biogenetic connections
Create novel family forms
Levine 2008; Hertz 2011; Hargreaves 2006; Harrington 2008

10. INFORMATION SHARING
Donors provide a great deal of information about themselves, including photos, videos and audio tapes.
Amount of information makes them more identifiable and easier to find Braverman 2010
How easy is it to find a donor? VERY EASY!
What if a donor still wants to provide the information?

11. HOW EXACTLY DO SEARCHERS FIND DONORS?
Internet
Photos, facial recognition software
Mutual consent websites
DNA testing
Examples of donors who were found

12. DNA AND GENEALOGY DATABASES
Family TreeDNA: The donor-conceived project
DNA Ancestry Project
Ancestor.com
Dna.ancestry.com
Dna-testing-advisor.com
Advises adoptees how to search
23andme.com

13. ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS TO DONORS?
Can we give donors their donor identification number if they seek mutual consent contact?
Some banks refuse to give it to donor
Can we tell donors how many offspring they have?
Many programs refuse to given even approximate number to donors
Counseling about identifiability
We can no longer guarantee anonymity for donors
Braverman 2010

14. ETHICAL QUESTIONS RAISED
Can we inform parents and offspring of the number of donor’s genetic offspring?
Is it ethical to seek consent for contact from previously anonymous donors?
Do we have an ethical obligation to help those who seek information and contact?
If so, what might that look like?

15. VIDEO CLIPS: THE STORY OF DONOR 150 AND HIS OFFSPRING
New York Times chronicles story of donor siblings who met online through the Donor Sibling Registry. Their mothers used Cal Cryo Donor 150.
Donor reads story and the donor comes forward.
Several offspring and donor meet in Venice Beach, CA.
McGrath 2011

16. WHAT CONSITUTES GOOD PRACTICE?
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
“Programs may consider sharing with … offspring … l8 years of age the information that would be available to the recipient parents about the donor.”
“It is advisable to …. to store identifying information in case all parties later agree to some form of identifying disclosure.”
ASRM 2012
Questions raised by this:
Limits on number of offspring per donor Sawyer 2009
Do we really value its importance? Benward et al 2009

17. IMPLICATIONS
Counseling donors and recipients about offspring interest in the donor and potential for seeking out donor
Counseling donors about identifiability
Policies to encourage or support information sharing
Addressing obstacles to information sharing and mutual consent contact