Using a sperm donor is becoming an increasingly common way to have a child for both solo parents and couples. There are many reasons an intended parent or parents decides to recruit a sperm donor including age related infertility, social infertility, low sperm count, or general fertility issues.

There are many opportunities in Australia for people to find local sperm donors. For those people who don’t know someone in their immediate circle who may be able to help them, reaching out to a fertility clinic may be the best option. Some people decide on a more casual arrangement where sperm donation can happen privately via artificial insemination.

As the parent(s) of a donor conceived child, you are the legal parent(s) and appear on the birth certificate. There are registries and organisations around Australia and the world that can help link your child to their donor.
Similarly, donors can find out more information about you, and depending on the donor agreement (different in each country), they are often entitled to both identifying and non-identifying information about their donor offspring. Consent is required prior to the release of identifying information. As a parent of a donor-conceived child in Australia (under 18 years), you can lodge a contact preference.

Fertility treatment can be an emotional and sometimes challenging journey, so having a supportive community around you can make a real difference. You may also like to join our Facebook group.