Egg donors are instrumental in making dreams of parenthood a reality. As a current or possible egg donor, it is good to stay informed of changes and advancements, not just in the field of assisted reproduction as it pertains to egg donation, but also in the overall landscape. This includes current movements and organizations, scientific and technological advancements, and changes in legislation that impact egg donation. Being familiar with these changes can help you in your journey as an egg donor.
Donor Conceived Movement
The rapid growing number of donor-conceived children reaching adulthood started a movement to breakthrough egg donor anonymity. This movement stemmed from the need to gain access to complete medical history, genetic heritage, and possible health issues. At the core of the argument is the child’s right to know their genetic origins.
The U.S Donor Conceived Council, a Colorado-based nonprofit organization committed to “advocating the rights and best interests of people conceived through donated sperm, eggs, and embryo”, played a huge role in the recently passed Colorado legislation, the Donor-Conceived Persons and Families of Donor-Conceived Persons Protection Act, the first act of its kind.
Scientific and Technological Advancements
In 2003, scientific advances from the Human Genome Project led to the development of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing, such as ancestry.com and 23andme.com. The increasing popularity and use of these products opened the door to uninformed donor-conceived individuals learning the truth about their heritage when their presumed ancestry didn’t match that of their parents and family members. The ease of access and use as well as the rapidly growing genetic database of DTC tests lend to this discovery. In addition, technological advancements such as facial recognition software and social media add to the growing phenomenon of genetic relationships being discovered either intentionally or unintentionally.
Changes in Legislation
Though countries such as Sweden, the U.K., and New Zealand have laws banning both egg and sperm donor anonymity, the United States has not had any legislation with regards to this until recently.
In 2011, Washington became the first U.S. state to pass legislation limiting egg donor anonymity. The Washington State Open Identity Donation Law guarantees donor-conceived children access to their donor’s full names and medical history once they turn 18—unless the donor formally opts out from being identified. However, any donor-conceived children can still request and get access to their donor’s non-identifying medical records. In addition, this law requires egg donation agencies as well as sperm and egg banks to keep their donors’ medical histories on file permanently.
In October 2019, California legislators followed suit with Assembly Bill No. 785. Effective January 2020, the law requires both egg and sperm banks and donor programs to collect and retain a donor’s full name, date of birth, and other contact information provided. Under this law, donor programs are required to obtain a declaration stating whether the donor does or does not authorize disclosure of donor information to any resulting children when they reach age 18 and request the information. If an egg donor fails to complete a declaration or if the donor program fails to produce said paperwork, the donor program is required to release donor information to the child upon request at age 18.
In May 2022, Colorado passed the Donor-Conceived Persons and Families of Donor-Conceived Persons Protection Act. This is the first wide-ranging legislation focused on protecting donor-conceived persons. Effective on January 1, 2025, it requires all egg and sperm banks, fertility clinics, and gamete-matching agencies practicing in Colorado, or working with Colorado residents to be licensed by the state and to follow a strict set of regulations. These regulations require donors to be over the age of 21 and agree to the release of their identifying information to donor-conceived offspring at 18. It also requires egg and sperm banks, fertility clinics, and egg and sperm donation agencies to maintain records indefinitely.
Working with Growing Generations as an Egg Donor
At Growing Generations, we ensure that egg donors who choose to work with us have a rewarding experience. We offer the guidance, support, and compassion needed throughout this journey. We are here to anticipate your spoken and unspoken needs.
As part of the process, we ask each donor if they are open to future contact with intended parents and the child(ren). We also ask if they are open to registering with the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR) once their donation is completed. Before any future contact is arranged with egg donors, there is a lot of discussion and consent involved. If intended parents want the egg donor to have an open relationship with them and the child, this is discussed with the donor before the egg donation occurs. As mentioned earlier, we also suggest that all parties register with DSR once the donation is completed. If sharing contact information is agreed upon, our team can add this to the contract. Once the donation is complete or a child is born, we can then make an introduction to both parties via email. Currently, we are suggesting utilizing a third party such as DSR for future contact.
As the egg donation landscape continues to shift and change, our team is dedicated to making your journey both rewarding and fulfilling. We are here for you every step of the way as we continue our commitment to making dreams of parenthood a reality for everyone.
