How Do the Adult Offspring of Lesbian Parents Feel About Their Sperm Donors?
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Study Background
US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study
Created in 1986 to study the health and well-being of the first generation of lesbian families
Interviewed the families at different points in family development
Wave 1 - interviewed prospective lesbian mothers
Wave 2- interviewed mothers + 2 year-old offspring
Wave 3 - interviewed mothers + 5 year-old offspring
Wave 4 - interviewed mothers + 10 year-old offspring
Wave 5 - interviewed mothers + 17 year-old offspring
Wave 6 - interviewed 25 year-old offspring
78 invited to complete interview (survey)
76 completed online, anonymous survey
Results
Identity of Donor
30% had always known the donor’s identity
30% learned the donors identity once reaching adulthood
33% met the donor (average age 20.4 years)
67% have not met the donor
40% have never known the donor
Conclusions
Strengths
High response rate (97% completion)
Prospective study - limits risk of selection bias
Weaknesses
Small number of respondents (77 persons)
Survey on feelings = snapshot in time
Resources
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Electronic address: ASRM@asrm.org; Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Informing offspring of their conception by gamete or embryo donation: an Ethics Committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2018;109(4):601-605. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.01.001
Koh AS, van Beusekom G, Gartrell NK, Bos H. Adult offspring of lesbian parents: how do they relate to their sperm donors? [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 3]. Fertil Steril. 2020;S0015-0282(20)30441-6. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.05.010
National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study. https://www.nllfs.org/about/
Ombelet W, Van Robays J. Artificial insemination history: hurdles and milestones. Facts Views Vis Obgyn. 2015;7(2):137-143.
