Information for those affected by donor conception in Queensland.

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​On 19 September 2024, the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2024 (ART Act) received Royal Assent. The new Act will:

 

• improve assisted reproductive technology services in Queensland.

• provide a donor conception information register.

 

More information can be found here: https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/changes-to-the-law

 

Queensland Health also has information on the new regulation of assisted reproductive technology service. 

 

You can find links to the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2024 and explanatory notes here. (More info below)

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Read the full report from the Qld Parliament Legal Affairs and Safety Committee on matters relating to donor conception information here.

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What is Donor Conception?

 

Donor conception refers to the use of donated gametes (sperm, eggs, and embryos) to conceive a child. People born as a result of sperm, egg, or embryo donation are known as 'donor-conceived people.' The individuals who donate these reproductive materials are referred to as 'donors,' while the legal parents of a donor-conceived person are simply called 'parents.'

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In most cases, a donor-conceived child will be genetically related to one of their legal parents (as in sperm or egg donation). However, when a donated embryo is used, the child will have no genetic connection to either legal parent. The mother often carries and gives birth to the child, except in cases involving surrogacy arrangements.

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What Does Donor Conception Have to Do with Adoption?

In recent years, donor-conceived adults have been advocating for the right to access their genetic origins. This movement parallels the efforts of individuals affected by adoption, who successfully fought for adoption records to be opened in Queensland in the early 1990s. The secrecy that historically surrounded donor conception is similar to that of the past closed adoption era.

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In Australia, the use of anonymous donors was once common practice. Current estimates suggest that at least 60,000 donor-conceived people live in Australia, many of whom remain unaware of the truth about their conception. The 2005 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines addressed this issue by recommending that anonymous gamete donation should no longer occur in Australia.

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Regardless of how they were conceived, many donor-conceived people share experiences similar to those of adopted individuals, including:

• A sense of not fully belonging within their family of upbringing.

• Feelings of loss due to disconnection from their biological family.

• Grief over not being genetically related to one or both of their legal parents and extended family.

• A strong desire to connect with genetic siblings (as donor-conceived individuals can have many half-siblings).

• Pressure to feel grateful for the efforts their parents made to conceive them, leading to guilt about wanting information on their genetic background and medical history.

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There are also key differences between the experiences of donor-conceived individuals and those affected by adoption, such as:

• Donor-conceived people have only one birth certificate, which lists their legal parents. This can make discovering their genetic origins even more challenging.

• While adoption records in Queensland have been centrally managed by the government, records related to donor conception were historically maintained by fertility clinics—some of which have since closed or changed names.

• In 2024, the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act 2024 (ART Act) was passed by the Queensland Parliament and is being implemented in stages. [More information on the ART Act can be found here.]

• Some donor-conceived individuals experience sadness or anger over the perception that they were deliberately created to meet the needs of others, as donor conception remains a medically sanctioned solution to infertility.

• Parents of donor-conceived children often express a need for support in discussing donor conception with their children and navigating the complexities that arise. Currently, no government-funded support exists in Queensland to assist these families.

 

Support

 

If you need support regarding donor conception, Donor Conceived Australia (DCA) can assist by providing:

• Support for donor-conceived individuals

• Education for parents, prospective parents, and donors

• Advocacy for nationally consistent legislation

• A networking group via Zoom, offering a no-pressure environment to connect with others who share this experience

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DCA also hosts a free, non-counselling event for donor-conceived and surrogacy-conceived individuals (see flyers above).

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Jigsaw Queensland can record your details so that if a specialist support service is established in the future, we can notify you. If you’d like to be added to this list, email us at support@jigsawqld.org.au.

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Helpful Information and Resources

• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Guidelines: Read more here

• Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority (VARTA): Provides government-funded support for donor-conceived individuals in Victoria and offers extensive educational resources, including information sheets and videos. Learn more here

• Genealogical DNA Testing: Some donor-conceived individuals use DNA testing to learn more about their origins and genetic relatives. Jigsaw Queensland has an information sheet available here

• We Are Donor Conceived: An online resource center conducting a global annual survey on the experiences of donor-conceived people.

 

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