Donor Conception Network
Lynne Spencer is a donor conceived adult and this book is derived from her Master of Arts in Humanistic and Clinical Psychology thesis completed in 2000. Her theoretical perspective was one of qualitative phenomenological exploration, addressing the question, “What is the experience of confronting the reality of being a donor offspring”. Eight donor offspring, four male and four female, ranging in age from 39 to 57 were interviewed in person or by ‘phone. Their age of being informed about their donor conception varied from 18 to 47. The study is unusual in that it includes the experience and voice of the author who adds her own personal standpoint to those of the participants. The book is divided into three parts and for most people the middle section where Lynne sets out the answers that her participants gave to her questions will hold the most interest. The others are about the academic context and perspective and a vast number of references. This book is recommended for the above and for the warmth and humanity of the author that is evident throughout. Published by her and available from Amazon or www.booksurge.com |
| NEW - Making Babies the Hard Way: Living with Infertility and Treatment by Caroline Gallup Published by Jessica Kingsley 2007: £12.99 ISBN 9781843104636 (1 copy available in the library) |
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This book is compulsive reading. Over a weekend I could hardly put it down, but in the end I couldn’t help wondering exactly who I would recommend to read it. Maybe this is because Caroline and Bruce finally decide to abandon fertility treatment because the financial and emotional strains and stresses affecting every part of their lives prove too much. This could be dispiriting for those still struggling through or too much information for those at the beginning of their journey. Yet, when and how to stop treatment remains one of the big, largely un-talked about, issues in fertility treatment. Despite these reservations, which should perhaps serve as a warning to those who like traditional happy endings, I would recommend this book wholeheartedly to anyone going through fertility treatment just for the true to life detail, the humour and the raw reality of the feelings…and DCN gets a great write up as well! |
| Mommies, Daddies, Donors, Surrogates: Answering Tough Questions and Building Strong Families Diane Ehrensaft, Ph.D |
| Published in the USA by Guildford 2005-11-09$16.95 (£9.50) from Amazon.com or the web site of the publisher. 2 copies in the DCN Library Don’t be put off by the rather ‘American’ title of this book. It is well worth reading for both those contemplating family building by donor conception and those who are already parents, whether in heterosexual or lesbian couple or single parent families. As a developmental psychologist Diane Ehrensaft is able to address and empathise with all the complicated thoughts and feelings of would-be parents whilst keeping a strong focus on the developmental needs of the children. The chapters on the why, how and when of ‘telling’ are some of the best material around. Read a more detailed review of this book |
| Missing Links: Exploration into the Identity Issues of People Conceived via Donor Insemination by Geraldine Hewitt 2001 |
| Geraldine was conceived by donor sperm in Australia in 1983. Her parents are the founders of the Donor Conception Support Group of Australia . This study was carried out as part of Geraldine's final year studies at school when age 18. Forty-six donor conceived people took part, the largest number of offspring to participate in any research. |
| Building a Family with the Assistance of Donor Insemination by Ken Daniels |
This is THE book for any couple or
individual contemplating building a family with the assistance
of sperm donation. 
It is also essential reading for those of us
who already have children and are pondering the 'when' and 'how'
of sharing information with our children and others. There is no
question that it should also be required reading for all those
who work in clinics where DI is practised. Ken Daniels is Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch , New Zealand . He has worked in the field of donor insemination and assisted human reproduction for 27 years and is well known to DC Network members, particularly for his memorable talk at the London meeting three years ago. Several Network families were either interviewed individually or took part in focus groups for this book. Many years of conversations with DI families around the world make up the meat of this book. The chapters are packed full of quotes from mothers and fathers illustrating the wide spectrum of thoughts and feelings experienced at the different stages of creating a family using DI and then bringing up children. The focus throughout the journey that the book describes, is on the creation of families where parental comfort with the decision to use DI is the key to building confident, healthy family relationships based on honesty and trust. Secrecy, which takes up so much energy in families, has no place here. Mingled in with the quotes from parents are the results of research (such as it is) into DI families and their well being. But it is from the families themselves that we learn how to start conversations about DI with small children, the pros and cons of telling teachers and how to handle stroppy teenagers……this is what parents really want to know! Given the increase in egg donation in recent years it is a shame that this book does not touch on this topic, although the principles involved of course apply to all gamete and embryo donation. However the book does include experiences of single and lesbian women as well as hetero-sexual couples and is richer for it. Ken Daniels is an academic, but he is also the father of adopted daughters and writes with the understanding and sensitivity of someone who has taken the trouble to really listen over the years to all the parties involved in donor conception, particularly prospective and current parents, donor conceived children and adults and the donors themselves. |
| EXPERIENCES OF DONOR CONCEPTION PARENTS, OFFSPRING AND DONORS THROUGH THE YEARS (2003) By Caroline Lorbach. Foreward by Eric Blyth ISBN: 184310122X. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers |
| This Australian book is a valuable resource for those considering treatment,
as well as for parents of donor conceived children. Drawing on the experiences
of parents, offspring and donors and including her own and her family's story,
this thought provoking and informative book explores the process of donor conception.
From finding out there is an infertility problem, Caroline Lorbach takes the
reader step by step through the process of deciding to use donor conception,
choosing a donor and discussing the decision with others, and whether and how
to tell the children about their conception. The book includes information from
families using egg and embryo donation as well as sperm donation, and from single
and lesbian parents. The author also considers the perspective of the donor alongside
those of parents, and includes a chapter on the thoughts and experiences of adult
donor offspring. Recommended. Available to buy Price £15.00 |
| HELPING THE STORK: THE CHOICES AND CHALLENGES OF DONOR INSEMINATION (1997) by Carol Frost-Vercollone, Heidi Moss and Robert Moss. Published by Macmillan: ISBN: 0-02-861917-X |
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This is an excellent book, which comprehensively covers the issues
surrounding DI. The American authors, from their own personal experience
and through counselling others promote DI as a positive way to build
families. It covers issues such as deciding if DI is the right choice,
emotional needs at the time of treatment, privacy versus openness
and talking with children. The chapter on choosing a donor is very
US based, and discusses options such as identity release donors
that are not available in this country. The book includes a discussion
on the issues surrounding family building through DI for single
women and lesbian couples. There is a useful reference list and
bibliography at the end of the book. A few copies available to buy, priced at £10.00 including postage. Read a review |
| Other books available |
CHOOSING A KNOWN DONOR: A LEGAL AND CLINICAL APPROACH An article written by a DC Network member, who with her husband used a known donor whilst still receiving treatment through a clinic. A DONOR INSEMINATION GUIDE; WRITTEN BY AND FOR LESBIAN WOMEN (2002) By Marie Mohler and Lacy Frazer. Published by Harrington Park Press ISBN: 1-56023-226-9 An American book which draws on experiences of women, and gives advice on practical details and emotional aspects of the DI process. |
This is the story of Caroline and Bruce who discover quite early on in their quest to have a child that Bruce does not appear to be producing sperm. With refreshing candour, humour and eye for detail Caroline, with interjections from Bruce, describes the clinic visits, tests and the endless waiting and worrying that will be familiar to anyone who has struggled to start a family. Sperm donation turns out to be the only way that they might achieve a pregnancy. One of the very special features of this story are the insights into how Caroline and Bruce, mirroring many other couples, approach and deal very differently with the emotions and practicalities of diagnosis and fertility treatment. Bruce does not understand why Caroline finds talking to a counsellor the most natural thing to do, Caroline cannot understand Bruce’s practical attitude to sperm donation, but they both find having to choose a donor a very weird process. Their attempt to turn a clinic insemination into a romantic occasion is of course doomed to failure!
