Donor insemination disclosure in social networks: heterosexual couples' experiences

The way in which heterosexual couples manage information about infertility and donor insemination within their social networks has not yet been explored in-depth. This study focuses on how parents and aspiring parents manage information about infertility and donor insemination within their social networks. Fifteen Belgian couples were interviewed as part of a parenthood research project. Thematic analysis resulted in the identification of four themes. The first of these reveals how the social context can best be understood as a continuous confrontation with social expectations. A second theme highlights the diverse ways in which couples manage personal information in this confronting context. The third theme stresses how couples manage information about donor insemination so as to be treated as a 'normal' family. The final theme shows how emotional regulation within the context of the extended family plays a role in couples' decisions about how to manage information with relatives. Results are analysed using the concept of 'systemic emotion management' and the importance of being seen by others as a 'normal' family. Study findings signal the importance of managing information within social networks and are of relevance to a range of practitioners.