The first generation of donor-conceived children born under New Zealand's landmark 2006 reproductive legal framework came of age last year, meaning they were able to access information about their donor - either sperm, egg, or embryo - by right, if they chose to. Records before 2006 are patchy and some New Zealanders will have no way to track down a donor parent, besides trying the route of genealogy tests.
New research has found that 86 percent of families of the post-2006 cohort have told their child that they were donor-conceived. This rate was even higher among single-parent and same-sex families.
Delaying telling a child about their origins risks a bad reaction: a child may feel lied to, or feel confused about their identity and belonging.
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Cindy Farquhar from the University of Auckland joins Emile Donovan.
Photo: 123RF
