Donor Conception Network
Parent led: child focused. Supporting donor conception families for 30 years
We're a supportive charity network of over 2,200, mainly UK-based, families with children conceived with donated sperm, eggs or embryos, those thinking about or undergoing donor conception procedures and donor conceived people.
We would love to hear your views!
We'd love to hear your views on a range of subjects to help best decide how we support our community. There's also some questions about your interest in helping us in other ways as we develop the Network to make it fit for the future.
Closes midnight 10th December!
We provide support through
Connection with others
They say it takes a village to raise children. Well, sometimes it takes a village to help you even contemplate that journey.
What's happening at DC Network
Some upcoming events
Considering egg, sperm, double or embryo donation?
Looking for information or support? Feeling alone?
If you are contemplating donor conception or are having treatment, whether in the UK or abroad (whatever kind of donor you are using) we are here to offer support and information. We can help you think through your questions and concerns; just click on the section below that fits to get details aimed more specifically at you and your situation. If you are at the early stages you might want to attend a webinar to get an overview of donor conception and what to consider. Our professionally run, facilitated Destination Parenthood workshops provide more in-depth and focussed spaces to explore your hopes and fears and share with others at a similar stage. Feedback from these workshops is extremely positive and we know they can be transformative.
Already parents? Looking for help with telling your child?
If you are pregnant or already have children of any age conceived through donor conception then we have lots of resources as well as support and information for you and your family.
If you would like a dedicated opportunity to explore how to start the conversation with your children about how they were conceived you might like to attend one of our Telling and Talking workshops.
If you are looking for books to support 'telling' have a look in our bookshop and choose the section that fits your situation best. We have a range of books for children called 'Our Story' and a series for parents called 'Telling and Talking' which cover developmental stages (0-7yrs, 8-12yrs and 12yrs+).
If you have older children (12yrs+) or adult children who you haven't told yet we can help explore that and offer support Telling Older Children and Adults
We also have information for
Articles and News
'A few weeks ago We ran our ‘Making It Real’ workshop, which was a huge success. After hosting it in-person for a couple of years, we put it online in March to see if it would work via Zoom. We made sure the day was interactive and engaging, with plenty of opportunities for networking. Despite it not being in-person it still felt personal. That workshop sold out so we ran it again this September and were delighted that it was full.'
‘Not even in the footnotes of the script of my life had I considered having to buy sperm in order to get pregnant. Fast-forward to 2016, and here I was, aged 37, fairy tale smashed to smithereens, scouring the internet for ways to become pregnant alone.’
‘Can I just say how useful [the Primary School Resources] were. They helped me gather my thoughts before speaking to the teacher and to feel confident in the reasons why I was sharing the info with her… It really took the anxiety out of the situation.’
‘After years trying for a child without success, I sought solace in online message boards. Before long, I was spending hours a day poring over intimate posts, sharing everything with total strangers. Would it help?’
‘The attempt to have a child is often a battle for same-sex couples... and then when you've had a baby and it's super celebratory and then the first pieces of paper you are given say 'mother and father' and it's just, you're almost worn out by the time you have had a baby.’
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