Keeping a child's donor sperm conception secret is not linked to family and child functioning during middle...

Controversy exists as to whether children conceived using donor sperm should be told about their origins and the possible deleterious effects of secrecy.

The Follow-Up of Children Conceived through Donor Insemination research compares 'family functioning' and 'child well-being' in 62 families where donor-conceived children aged between 5 and 13 years had been 'told' (N = 29) and 'not told' (N = 33) of their genetic heritage. Couples were treated through the Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research Reproductive Medicine Clinic. Standardised measures of family functioning and child well-being collected from mothers were modelled to estimate mean differences according to knowledge of conception.

Mean differences between the two 'knowledge of conception' groups were generally very small and not statistically significant; adjustment for covariates did not make a substantive difference to the interpretation of group differences. Scores on family functioning and child well-being measures were within normal limits for both the 'told' and 'not told' groups.

Further research on parents' experiences would usefully inform discussion on the forms of education and support that would encourage parents to engage with the issues of disclosure and nondisclosure, and promote transparency as well as societal awareness, acceptance and understanding of this method of family formation.