Professionals
The professionals that couples and individuals come across when undergoing fertility procedures with donated gametes and then as parents afterwards are enormously influential and important people. Whether you are an embryologist, nurse, counsellor, doctor, andrologist, receptionist in a fertility clinic, GP, paediatrician or any kind of mental health professional you are enormously welcome to this site and as a member of DC Network.
Click here to find out about joining as a professional member
Using donated gametes to aid conception is much more than just taking the next logical step to making a baby once it is clear that would-be parents' own gametes are not viable. It is helping to build a different sort of family, one where there will be at least one non-genetically connected parent. DC Network would like to involve all professionals in supporting parents in acknowledging this difference and preparing to take on the responsibilities associated with parenting by donor conception.
Please browse all sections of this site to understand more about how families and donor conceived people feel about donor conception and how you can best help them feel confident and comfortable with their decisions and in being open with their children.
Making It Real - Workshop for professionals working with donor conception families
Do you work with recipients of donor gametes (with or without surrogacy), or with donor conception families?
These workshops will deepen your own understanding of the ways in which creating a child using eggs, sperm or embryos from a third party, including with surrogacy, is different from standard fertility treatments. We look at how best to help prospective parents consider from the outset the lifetime implications for the child and the family. We also look at how to support families as children grow up and circumstances, as well as interest levels, may change.
Free information sessions
We run free information sessions every few months. if you would like to be added to our email list to get details of events and resources relevant to professionals working with donor conception families, please click the button below
Clinic supporters
We have a clinic supporter scheme and the clinics listed here have shown their commitment to donor conception families by being part of this scheme. We recognise the important work they do helping people get pregnant and they recognise the important work we do in supporting the social and emotional well-being of those families for the long term.
Lawyer supporters
If your patients or clients are considering using a surrogate or looking for legal advice or help, our lawyer supporters specialise and have a wealth of experience in donor conception and surrogacy related issues.
Counsellors, fertility nurses, donor co-ordinators
We offer Professional Membership to anyone who works in the donor conception field, for example fertility counsellors, nurses and donor co-ordinators. Better still, get your clinic to sign up as a clinic supporter and we can include 3 members of staff as members as part of that scheme.
We have a leaflet that you can give to patients explaining about DC Network and the services and resources we offer, including details of membership.
If you would like to be added to our contact list please click the button below
Researchers
We have a research committee which reviews all the research requests to the Network to ensure that it is conducted appropriately and fits in with our members. Click below for research enquiries or information.