Forming a family with sperm donation: a survey of 244 non-biological parents

Frith, Lucy; Sawyer, Neroli; Kramer, Wendy

doi:10.1016/j.rbmo.2012.01.013

Cited by 25 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(50 reference statements)

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“…This is particularly relevant to the USA, due to the current lack of industry regulation. This study complements an investigation of nonbiological parents by Frith et al (2012) that examined the different experiences and perspectives of the male and female non-biological parent in the donor insemination family partnership and extends the work of Scheib et al (2003). It is unique in that it compares the experiences, perspectives and concerns of three cohorts of women who were the genetic mothers of children conceived using donor spermatozoa: single mothers, mothers in a heterosexual relationship and mothers in a lesbian relationship.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

A survey of 1700 women who formed their families using donor spermatozoa

Sawyer

Blyth

Kramer³

et al. 2013

Reproductive BioMedicine Online

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This paper reports the results of an online survey of 1700 recipients of donor spermatozoa conducted by the Donor Sibling Registry, aiming to understand the perspectives of respondents who had used donor spermatozoa. The survey examined: choice of sperm bank and donor; reporting of births and genetic disorders; disclosure; contact with donor and half-siblings; regulation of sperm donor activity and genetic testing; and access to medical information. The respondents formed three groups: single women; women in a same-sex relationship; and women in a heterosexual relationship. Some differences between the three cohorts were observed: preinsemination counselling; acceptance of donors without medical records or with chronic or late-onset diseases; awareness of choice of bank and type of donor; and views on the right of offspring to know their genetic origins. However, important areas of common ground were identified: the wish by those who had used an anonymous donor that they had used an open-identity donor; support for, and willingness to pay for, comprehensive genetic testing of donors; and desire for access to their donor's family health information. The implications of these results for policies concerning the use and management of donor spermatozoa will be discussed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

A survey of 1700 women who formed their families using donor spermatozoa

Sawyer

Blyth

Kramer³

et al. 2013

Reproductive BioMedicine Online

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“…In addition, the data were constrained by the limitations of conducting couple interviews (Nordqvist, 2012;Raes et al, 2014;Wyverkens et al, 2014), and, when individual interviews were carried out, they usually addressed the biological mother (Frith et al, 2012). For example, Donovan and Wilson (2008) interviewed only two non-biological mothers separately in a sample of twelve femalepartnered mothers.…”

Section: Comment [Cf1]mentioning

confidence: 99%

‘It's a bit too much fathering this seed’: the meaning-making of the sperm donor in Italian lesbian mother families

Lingiardi

Carone

Morelli

et al. 2016

Reproductive BioMedicine Online

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How do female-partnered mothers deal with the third-party involved in their reproductive arrangement? The aim of this study is to identify the meaning-making of the sperm donor, exploring different patterns between genetic and non-genetic mothers, as well as between open-identity and anonymous donation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 Italian female-partnered mothers, who at the time of data collection had at least one donor-conceived child. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was performed to identify emergent themes. None of the mothers considered the donor as the father of their child. Three patterns of thoughts and feelings recurred: 'donor as an entity', 'donor as a medical process', 'donor as a person'. Genetic and non-genetic mothers constructed shared meanings regarding the donor. Mothers who opted for anonymous donors were more likely to describe the donor as an entity and as a medical process compared with mothers who opted for open-identity donors. Different images of the donor lay beneath each meaning: respectively, donor as a ghost, donor as a place, donor as a kind man. Findings offer important insights for healthcare providers working in fertility clinics. They further suggest the most appropriate terms for third-party reproduction and specific psychological counselling needs of prospective female-partnered mothers.

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“…For a couple, this path to parenthood means that the partners have to decide which of them will get pregnant (first), a choice that gives the mothers different parental roles as birth mother and non-birth mother, which must be negotiated (Abelsohn, Epstein & Ross, 2013;Hayman, Wilkes, Halcomb, & Jackson, 2013;Wojnar & Katzenmeyer, 2014; see also Ryan, 2013). Donated semen could be provided through sperm banks and fertility clinics, where the donor is anonymous to the parents and the child (Chabot & Ames, 2004;Donovan & Wilson, 2008;Frith, Sawyer & Kramer, 2012;Nordqvist, 2012Nordqvist, , 2014Vanfraussen, Ponjaert-Kristoffersen & Brewaeys, 2001). Some clinics offer identify-release donors, i.e.…”

Section: Studies On Lesbian Family Life and Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pride and Prejudice : Lesbian Families in Contemporary Sweden

Malmquist

2015

Linköping Studies in Behavioural Science

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To my children, Emil, Nils, Myran and Tove Färgen på barns ögon kommer från arvet, glittret i barns ögon kommer från miljön.The colour of children's eyes comes from nature, the sparkle in children's eyes comes from nurture. AbstractOptions and possibilities for lesbian parents have changed fundamentally since the turn of the millennium. A legal change in 2003 enabled a same-sex couple to share legal parenthood of the same child. An additional legal change, in 2005, gave lesbian couples access to fertility treatment within public healthcare in Sweden. The present thesis focuses on families where two women share legal parenthood of their children. It aims to provide knowledge about lesbian parenting couples and their children, and to focus on the interplay between family members within lesbian families, and between family members and their surroundings. Furthermore, the thesis aims to visualize and analyse notions of heteronormativity and homonormativity in contemporary Sweden. The thesis draws on interviews with 118 parents in 61 families, and 12 children in 11 families. The participants' stories, descriptions, reflections and discourses have been analysed using discursive psychology and thematic analysis.The thesis includes five empirical papers. Paper I focuses on encounters with healthcare professionals prior to and during pregnancy, at childbirth and during the early stages of parenthood. Paper II deals with the participants' experiences of second-parent adoption processes. Paper III focuses on equality in parenting relations. Paper IV focuses on encounters with fertility clinics within public healthcare. Paper V highlights the children's reflections and shows how the children talk about fathers and donors.

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Forming a family with sperm donation: a survey of 244 non-biological parents

Cited by 25 publications

References 41 publications

A survey of 1700 women who formed their families using donor spermatozoa

A survey of 1700 women who formed their families using donor spermatozoa

‘It's a bit too much fathering this seed’: the meaning-making of the sperm donor in Italian lesbian mother families

Pride and Prejudice : Lesbian Families in Contemporary Sweden

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