Donor-Conceived People's Access to Genetic and Biographical History: An Analysis of Provisions in Different Jurisdictions Permitting Disclosure of Donor Identity

Donor conception has been practised for many years, initially as a means of bypassing male fertility problems through the use of donated semen. More recently, semen donation has provided a means by which a single woman and women in same sex relationships may build a family without engaging in penetrative heterosexual intercourse, while embryo and egg donation have provided new family-building opportunities for other groups, such as post-menopausal women. A key topic of debate, policy formulation, and regulation has been the extent to which donor-conceived people should be enabled to ascertain information about their genetic and biographical history. Currently, a minority of jurisdictions allow donor-conceived individuals to learn the identity of their donor. This article examines relevant provisions in these jurisdictions, identifying their similarities and differences, and outlines further measures that can be taken to promote the ability of donor-conceived people to learn about their genetic and biographical history.