As you begin your egg donation journey, you may be wondering about the degree of contact that an egg donor has with the intended parents. The truth of the matter is, there are varying levels of contact depending on what both parties are looking for. This blog post breaks down what these levels are and what they mean.
Donors can choose to be either anonymous, have semi-open or open donation with intended parents. Each of these forms of contact come with different degrees of communication between donors and intended families. There is no “right” or “wrong” form of contact – different forms will work better for different people.
Anonymous
In an anonymous donation, there is no exchange of names or contact information between intended parents and the donor. There is no direct communication between intended parents and donors – all information is passed through a third party (e.g. the egg donation agency, the clinic). Intended parents will not have the option of contacting the donor in the future. The donor still agrees to provide updated medical information to the fertility clinic.
Semi-open
In a semi-open donation, both the donor and the intended parents register on the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR). The DSR is a United States website and non-profit organization for donor offspring, sperm donors, egg donors and other donor-conceived people. It helps donor-conceived people who want to make mutually-desired contact with other people with whom they share genetic ties. The DSR can also be used to communicate in the future regarding something like medical information. The donor’s contact information remains anonymous unless they and the intended parents choose to exchange contact information through the DSR at a later date.
Open
In an open donation, the donor and intended parents exchange contact information and may agree to a meeting if desired. The precise level of contact is agreed upon and outlined in the legal contracts. Donors are matched with intended parents whose desired level of anonymity and contact matches theirs.
How do I know what type of contact is right for me?
The type of contact you choose either as a donor or as an intended parent is a highly personal choice. It is important to think carefully about your personality, desires for the future, and other relevant contextual information in your life. You will also have assistance from Intend’s Egg Donor Team to help you decide which type of contact is best for you and what you are most comfortable with.
As stated earlier, there is no right or wrong kind of contact. All of them have elements that might be considered pros to some and cons to others. If you are at the stage in which you are thinking about what kind of contact to choose, feel free to reach out to the Intend team and we will be happy to talk it through with you.
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