This  DSR blog will be paused from 2022-2025 while I focus on writing monthly articles for my Psychology Today page:
Donor Family Matters. 

 
Here are links to the 2022 published articles from the first to the most recent:

Supporting Donor Family Members

Adequate counseling and education are vital.

A Brief History of Donor Conception

Looking at eight centuries of manipulating sperm.

Words Have Power in Sperm and Egg Donor Families

The language of reproductive medicine can be tricky.

Happy Mother's Day to Solo Moms (of Donor Kids)

Personal Perspective: A special shout-out to single mother (only) parents.

Donor Conception: Questions for Prospective Parents

Issues and themes to ponder when considering using donor gametes.

Truth and Honesty in Families of Donor-Conceived Children

Early disclosure is crucial for building a happy and healthy family.

A Dearth of Adequate Gamete Donor and Recipient Counseling

Education and counseling before selling or buying sperm and eggs is crucial.

Are You Thinking About Donating Your Sperm or Eggs?

A few practical, ethical, emotional, and medical issues to consider.

Nature and Nurture in Donor Families

Biological and non-biological parents matter.

Tips for Parents of Adult Donor-Conceived People

Are you about to disclose, or do you have a child who just found out the truth?

DNA: Donors Not Anonymous

Sperm and egg donor anonymity has not been possible since 2005.

Secrecy v. Privacy in Donor Families

Walking the fine line between privacy and secrecy is inherent in donor families.

Here are links to the 2023 published articles:

Why are Sperm and Eggs Still Sold Anonymously?

Personal Perspective: The consequences of donor anonymity.

Cornerstones of the Donor Family: Kindness and Empathy

From choosing a donor to expanding one's family to include donor relatives. 

Tips for Donor-Conceived Adults Who Just Found Out the Truth

The road might be bumpy for a while, with a multitude of difficult emotions.

Donor-Conceived People Who Have Always Known the Truth

Being donor-conceived can have inherent challenges, even if told early on.

Egg and Sperm Donors: It's Complicated

Some common thoughts and feelings surrounding selling one's gametes.

Donor-Conceived People: Curiously not Curious

Some insist that they are not at all curious about their donor origins.

Parents of Donor-Conceived People

Researching the thoughts and feelings of biological and non-biological parents.

Reaching Out to Sperm and Egg Donors

Weighing the risks and rewards when deciding whether to attempt contact.

Why Is There a Shortage of Black Egg and Sperm Donors?

Creating a more diverse donor landscape.

Donor-Conceived Children Meeting Their Half-Siblings

Widening one's family circle with enriching, lifelong relationships.

Gamete Sellers: It's More Than Just a Financial Transaction

Common themes, topics, and issues that arise with former egg and sperm donors.

Sperm Banks, Egg Facilities, and the Backfire Effect

Why have gamete sellers been resistant to evolving ideas about donor families?

Contacting a Gamete Donor for the First Time: The Letter.

You might not get a second chance to make a first impression.

Donor Offspring: Curiosity, Connecting, & Attachment Theory

Securely attached individuals are more likely to have a positive experience.

Here are links to the 2024 published articles:

DNA Matters: Psychological Differences in Donor Families

Accurate and updated mental health information is vital for families and donors

The Ethical Sperm Bank: An All-Open Sperm Bank

An idea whose time has come.

The Problems With Donor-Sibling Groups of 50, 250, or More

Important medical, psychological, and social implications for donor offspring.

What Rights are Important to Donor-Conceived People?

Identity, acknowledgment, dignity, and connection.

Honest Terminology in Egg Donation Families

The person who contributes the egg is the biological or genetic mother.

Gamete Donors Connecting With Offspring and Their Families

Barriers: the perception of rejection, worry, fear, and other concerns.

Donor Families: Mutual Consent Contact

Personal Perspective

Enhancing Family Connections in Donor Conception

A call for simplicity and transparency in donor-family relations.

Donor-Conceived People: The Search for Ancestry and Identity

Discovering family history enhances self-understanding and connection.

Bypassing Trauma in Donor-Conceived People

The power of early disclosure and donor family connections to reduce trauma.

Widening the Family Circle: Sperm and Egg Donors' Families

A donor's partner, parents, and children can support broadening the family.

Parents of Young Donor Children: Modeling Conversations

Empowering donor-conceived children to be confident and proud of their origin story.

Donor Families: Navigating Disenfranchised Grief

When donor families have feelings of unacknowledged loss and or rejection.