Donor insemination: a comparison of lesbian couples, heterosexual couples and single women

Parenting in Planned Lesbian Families

“…A limitation of the present study also found in other studies is the difference in response rate between the lesbian family group and the heterosexual family group, which was lower in the latter group (Breweays, Ponjaert, Van Hall, & Jacob, Klock, & Maier, 1999;Wendland, Byrn, & Hill, 1996). Curiosity about the way lesbian parents function may have been an important reason for planned lesbian families to participate.…”

“…Based on the findings of previous research (Brewaeys, PonjaertKristoffersen, Van Steirteghem, & Devroey, 1993;Jacob, Klock, & Maier, 1999;Wendland, Byrn, & Hill, 1996) we also expected that the response rate among lesbian families would be higher than among heterosexual families. The relatively high response rate in the lesbian family group may be associated with interest among lesbian couples on the topic of this study.…”

“…The non-response rate among heterosexual families was expected to be higher than among lesbian families, based on the findings of previous research (Brewaeys, Ponjaert-Kristoffersen, Van Steirteghem, & Devroey, 1993;Jacob, Klock, & Maier, 1999;Wendland, Byrn, & Hill, 1996). Curiosity about the way lesbian parents function may have been an important reason for those couples to participate.…”

‘Everybody’s got a dad...’. Issues for lesbian families in the management of donor insemination

“…Clinic-based studies indicate that lesbian mothers are more likely to tell their children about their DI conception than heterosexual mothers (Brewaeys et al 1993, Leiblum et al 1995, Gartrell et al 1996, Wendland et al 1996. For the women in this study the question of just what to tell, and why, was rarely straightforward:…”

The controversy surrounding privacy or disclosure among donor gamete recipients

“…It is important to note that these percentages apply only to heterosexual couples. Data regarding single women and lesbian couples who have children via DI indicate that virtually 100% of these parents will tell the child that he/she was conceived via DI (9). Based on these findings, a uniform recommendation to tell the child of his/her donor gamete origin is inappropriate.…”