The main objective of the Donor Conceived Register is to match pre-August 1991 donors and donor conceived people and/or donor conceived people sharing the same donor.
In August 1991 the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (1990, 2008 amended) came into force. The HFEA Act requires the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA; the statutory body) to keep a database of every IVF treatment carried out and a database relating to all cycles and use of donated eggs, sperm and embryos since that date. Treatments before that time are not recorded, so without DNA testing donor conceived people and donors have no formal way of establishing links.
What are the chances of finding a match?
The majority of donor conception parents who received treatment before 1991 were advised by professionals not to tell their children of the nature of their conception. Many donor conceived people from this era therefore don’t know they’re donor conceived people. Also, if they have been told or have found out, it doesn’t necessarily lead to an interest in finding out who the donor is.
Furthermore, at that time, donations happened anonymously. Most donors weren’t (made) aware that donor conceived people might have an interest to find out about the donor so may not have given it much thought. We have since learnt that many donors would be happy to be identified but it’s assumed that many donors don’t realise they can have their identity made known.
What does that mean for the Register?
Nobody knows how many donor conceived people know and are curious about their conception. Nobody knows how many donors are aware of the option to find out and if they are curious about their offspring. What we do know is that too many don’t know about this register or are not comfortable with registering.
We hope that people affected by donor conception will realise that the Donor Conceived Register doesn’t mean their life is going to be turned upside down in the case of a match. No one is expected to go beyond the level of contact they are comfortable with and free specialist support is offered at any given stage.
What else does the Register offer?
We have learnt that many people on the Register value the contact with others in the same situation. DCR Registrants are represented by Donor Conceived UK, a community where all Donors and Donor Conceived people in the UK are welcome to join for peer-led support. For more information on this and how to join the Donor Conceived UK Facebook Group, please contact them via Donor Conceived UK contact.
Contacting existing members of the Donor Conceived Register
The DCR have contacted all existing members of the Register to inform them of the changes in service provision in 2019.
A copy of our privacy notice was sent to explain how personal data would be processed, what data we are collecting, why we need it, what it is used for and who would have access to this information.
Agreement
Details of the agreement between Donor Conceived Register and DNA Analysis at King’s College London can be viewed in the DCR contract as per the King’s College terms and conditions.
More information
How long will it take to have my DNA tested?
It usually takes around 4 weeks for your DNA sample results to be sent to you. The report is sent to you either by email or by post, whichever you would prefer. King’s College DNA Analysis (the laboratory responsible for testing your DNA) is happy to answer any questions you may have.
You can contact King’s College DNA Analysis by phone 0207 848 4130 or by email: dna.
If you quote your DCR reference number, messages can be left.
Do I have to have my DNA tested to be on the Donor Conceived Register (DCR)?
You can become a DCR registrant without having your DNA taken and tested. However, if you wish to test for likelihood of matches either with your donor, offspring or any half siblings, you will need to have your DNA taken and join the DNA database.
DNA analysis at King’s has been unable to test my DNA sample – why?
Sometimes, insufficient DNA is collected and a second sample is then needed.
Is the DNA database linked to any other register or database?
No. The DNA database operated by the Donor Conceived Register (DCR) is independent and it is not linked to any other register.
Is there a reduced rate for people on low income?
The fee for joining the DNA database is £95. However, if you are experiencing financial difficulties then we are happy to discuss payment and payment methods.
I am a donor and want to make myself known, do I have to build a relationship with an donor-conceived offspring?
If a link is discovered, both you and your donor-conceived offspring will be notified independently of one another. Each of you will be given the opportunity to talk things through with an independent counsellor. You can take as much time as you need to work out what you would like to happen next. The pace of any progress is determined by the slower party. Any relationship or contact has to be mutually agreed beforehand and will only take place if each party is happy and comfortable. Counselling with a qualified counsellor is available to all involved at all stages.
How much do I pay for counselling?
We offer 2 free and confidential counselling sessions with a qualified counsellor for all Donor Conceived Register (DCR) and Opening The register (OTR) registrants. There will be a charge of £25 for all sessions thereafter. Counselling can take place on the telephone, or in person.
What happens with my DNA when I die?
When you become a Donor Conceived Register (DCR) registrant you will be asked to complete a form regarding your wishes when you die or if you become unreachable for whatever reason. You can choose to have your DNA removed from the database and from all of our records or you can nominate a named person who we can contact in case of a future match.
How can I stay in contact with the other people on the Donor Conceived Register (DCR)?
All DCR registrants can join the closed Facebook group which is for registrants only; DCR personnel do not have access to this group.
Who pays for the Donor Conceived Register (DCR)?
The DCR is funded by the HFEA.
If this website has been unclear in any area or you want more information please send us an email with your question. We will reply as soon as possible and will include it in the FAQ’s.
Please note this will only relate to questions about the service, the practical process and the forum.
Here at the Donor Conceived Register we are able to offer you support from our team of specialised counsellors.
We strongly encourage you to take advantage of our confidential counselling service (2 sessions are free and costed at £25 thereafter) which gives you the chance to talk things through in a way, and at a time, to suit you. This service is available to all DCR registrants, and immediate family, at any time, whether joining the DNA database or not.
Sessions can be completed via telephone or online. Please to get in touch to find out how to access our support service by emailing: donorconceivedregister
If you wish to learn more about the service, please contact the counselling team to discuss your options. Patricia Lambert, DCR Counselling Lead, telephone: 0151 702 4339 or email: donorconceivedregister
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Liverpool Women’s University Hospital
Address: Liverpool Women’s University Hospital
Crown Street
Liverpool
L8 7SS
The Donor Conceived Register is based within the Hewitt Fertility Centre at Liverpool Women’s University Hospital.
Please address written correspondence to:
Donor Conceived Register, Hewitt Fertility Centre, Liverpool Women’s University Hospital, Crown Street, L8 7SS
Donor Conceived UK
HFEA Resources
Helpful resources from ConnecteDNA
- Contact with donor conceived people: Donor FAQs
- Contact stories: Donors
- Important information for people who have donated eggs, sperm or an embryo in the past: What you need to know
- Preparing you and your family for the possibility of contact: Questions to consider
- Stories of (possible) contact: Relatives of donors.
Documentaries and short films
- Offspring by Barry Stevens (A UK donor conceived adult, now living in the US)
- DNA testing, sperm donor anonymity and me by Natasha Fox
- Donor Unknown Focusses on a US Donor and his offspring.
Books
Articles
Facebook groups
We have our very own Facebook group for the DCR members. It is a secret group, so you won't be able to find it by looking for it on Facebook. The only way to see it to be invited, and for that to happen you will need to get in touch with us, email: donorconceivedregister
Other groups
- Donor Conceived Offspring, Donors, Parents. This group is for all people who were conceived via anonymous donor, people who used anonymous donors to conceive their children, and anyone who donated sperm or eggs or is considering donor conception.
- DNA for the Donor Conceived. A subgroup of DNA Detectives, this Facebook group was created especially to help donor conceived individuals and donors search for family members using DNA test results.
- Worldwide Donor Conceived People Network. This group exists exclusively for donor conceived people (including those born of surrogacy) around the world. Friends of Donor Conceived Individuals A group to help friends of donor conceived individuals to learn how donor conceived people feel and the various obstacles and emotions we face.
- Gen Z Donor Conceived People. This group is meant to be a positive place for younger donor conceived people.
- We Are Donor Conceived. Donor conceived people around the world can share their perspectives on topics relevant to our community, connect with each other, and find support using this Facebook group, which also acts as a news feed for site-related content, including photos, stories, resources, and news updates.