Keeping a child's donor sperm conception secret is not linked to family and child functioning during middle childhood: An Australian comparative study

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Controversy exists as to whether children conceived using donor sperm should be told about their origins and the possible deleterious effects of secrecy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Follow-Up of Children Conceived through Donor Insemination research compares 'family functioning' and 'child well-being' in 62 families where donor-conceived children aged between 5 and 13 years had been 'told' (N = 29) and 'not told' (N = 33) of their genetic heritage. Couples were treated through the Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research Reproductive Medicine Clinic. Standardised measures of family functioning and child well-being collected from mothers were modelled to estimate mean d..