Personal Stories

We are very grateful to all those who have taken the time to write about their personal experiences of donor conception and issues relating to it. These stories are invaluable in helping to share common feelings around complex issues. Reading about how others have dealt with things is often very reassuring.

Use the drop-down options to search for particular story types. And if you would like to contribute your own story, please do get in touch with us.

Letter from Emily

Planning a family as a single woman
a letter from Emily to would-be solo mums

Dear Would-be Solo Mum

Filed under:
Solo Mums

Letter from Olivia about "Telling"

Planning a family:
a letter from Olivia to would-be DC Parents about telling

Dear Would-be Parents

Filed under:
Heterosexual Couples, Lesbian Couples, Solo Mums

Letter from Rachel

Planning a family using egg donation:
a letter from Rachel

Dear Would-Be Parents

Filed under:
Heterosexual Couples, Heterosexual Couples and Egg donation

Letter from Olivia

Planning a family using sperm donation:
a letter from Olivia to would-be DI Mums

Dear Would-be DI Mum

Filed under:
Heterosexual Couples, Heterosexual Couples and Sperm donation

Letter from Walter

Planning a family using sperm donation:
a letter from Walter to would-be sperm donation Dads

Dear would-be DI Dad

Filed under:
Heterosexual Couples, Heterosexual Couples and Sperm donation

Noodle Granny

Noodle Granny tells it how it is… How does it feel to be the mother of an infertile man and grandmother to donor conceived children?

Filed under:
Friends/family, Heterosexual Couples and Sperm donation

A sperm donor argues against the new compensation scheme (introduced in 2012) for sperm donors

Horrible, Absolutely Horrible. In October 2011 the HFEA announced a new compensation scheme for egg and sperm donation, to come into force in April 2012.

Filed under:
Donor

A teenager’s viewpoint; leading to a lot of questions from mum and no answers…

Some of you have met Sam, my DI conceived oldest son aged 16, who has started coming with me to the Network Meetings. In the past he has joined me in being a speaker but he usually helps out with the library and book stall.

Filed under:
Heterosexual Couples, Heterosexual Couples and Sperm donation

Zannah’s thoughts

Susannah (or Zannah as she prefers to be known) daughter of DCN founders Olivia Montuschi and Walter Merricks was interviewed in 2007 by email for the first book to be written for parents and professionals about donor conception in Germany.

Filed under:
Heterosexual Couples, Heterosexual Couples and Sperm donation

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

Stuart describes the challenging path to donor conception parenthood

Filed under:
Heterosexual Couples, Heterosexual Couples and Sperm donation