FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Got a Question? Here’s An Answer!
I have just found out that I am donor conceived. What do I do now?
You might be in a state of shock, you might not be knowing how to 'feel' about this information. There is no right or wrong way to feel about finding out about being donor conceived.
Please do have a look around this website (Support might be a good place) and others (Links) and get in contact with the Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust or ourselves. If you'd like to talk to another person then we can arrange that as well.
I am the parent of a donor conceived adult and thinking of telling them, do you have any advice?
We, as a community, believe that everyone has the right to know of their own origins. Almost universally across the board, donor conceived adults have said that they prefer to know that they are donor conceived rather than not. We would recommend telling them, even though it would be a difficult conversation.
If you have further questions, please get in contact with the Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust or us.
I am on a DNA testing website and have been contacted by someone saying they were donor conceived and that I could be their half-sibling, could this be a mistake?
Unfortunately it is highly unlikely that the DNA testing company has made a mistake. It is much more likely that either you are donor conceived or your parent was a donor.
I would like to connect with other in a similar position to me, what's the best way to go about this?
A lot of the registrants have said that they have found the experience of meeting other registrants one of the most beneficial and rewarding experiences of their journey. We meet up regularly in London for meetings and social and would love to have more people come along. In the meantime, we have an active Facebook group and more details can be found in the Support section.
Is the DNA database linked to any other register or database?
No. The DNA database operated by the Donor Conceived Register is independent and it is not linked to any other register.
I am a donor and want to make myself known. Do I have to build up a relationship with any donor conceived offspring?
If a match is discovered, both you and your donor-conceived offspring will be notified independently of one another. Each of you will be given the opportunity to talk things through with an independent counsellor and with a staff member from the service provider. You can take as much time as you need to work out what you would like to happen next. The pace of any progress is determined by the slower party. Any relationship or contact has to be mutually agreed beforehand and will only take place if each party is happy and comfortable.
What happens with my DNA when I die?
When you become a Donor Conceived Register (DCR) registrant you will be asked to complete a form regarding your wishes when you die or if you become uncontactable for whatever reason. You can choose to have your DNA removed from the database and from all of our records or you can nominate a named person who we can contact in case of a future match.