The motivations of donor-conceived adults for seeking information about, and contact with, sperm donors

Abstract

<p><b>Research question:</b> How do the demographic characteristics, mental health experiences and disclosure experiences of donor-conceived adults shape motivations for seeking information about their sperm donors, contact with them, or both?</p> <p><b>Design:</b> Sixty-nine Australian adults who conceived through sperm donors completed an online survey. Uniquely, information and contact seeking were investigated as two distinct concepts.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Participants reported a variety of demographic, mental health, disclosure and discovery experiences. Most had been motivated to seek information about their donor (88%), contact with them (71%), or both. The most commonly reported motivations for each act were for medical information, expanding their identity and curiosity. Logistic regression findings were significant for wanting medical information as a motivation for seeking donor information (<i>P</i> = 0.03). Endorsement of this motivation was associated with self-reported anxiety (<i>P</i> = 0.02) and less likely as participant age increased (<i>P</i> = 0.02). Motivation to contact donors for medical information was associated with self-reported anxiety (<i>P</i> = 0.02) and depression (<i>P</i> = 0.01), and more likely when the participant was raised in a household that included the recipient co-parent (<i>P</i> = 0.04). As years since disclosure or discovery increased, participants were less likely to report wanting medical information as a motivation (<i>P</i> = 0.02).</p> <p><b>Conclusion:</b> Overall, participants were motivated to obtain information and seek contact with sperm donors. Motivations for each were similar despite participants varying in age and reporting a range of circumstances regarding disclosure, some of which were adverse.</p>