Understanding egg donor anonymity & ID Release
At European Egg Bank, all our donors agree to ID release. This means donor-conceived individuals can request some identifying information about their donor when they come of age. Here, we explore the differences between ID release and No ID release donors, and explain why we only recruit the former.
What is an ID Release egg donor?
An ID release egg donor agrees to the release of certain identifying information when individuals conceived using their eggs reach a certain age. This ensures a donor-conceived individual can know who their donor is, if they want to. They can also request contact with their donor, however, it is always up to the donor whether they choose to accept.
What is an anonymous egg donor?
Anonymous donors do not release identifying information to individuals conceived using their eggs. For this reason, they are also known as No-ID release donors. The only information available to the donor-conceived individual is the details included in the donor’s profile. At European Egg Bank, choosing an anonymous egg donor is not an option.
How does our ID release process work?
At European Egg Bank, we actively manage the ID release process. While donor-conceived individuals may be able to request the release from their national registry if one exists in their country of birth, we often have more information available, including the details collected to create donor profiles. We are also able to offer support to donor-conceived individuals and donors throughout the process.
Our optional support sessions
Having verified the connection between a donor-conceived individual and their donor, we offer a free online or in-person counselling session with a trained professional. This is an opportunity for the donor-conceived individual to discuss their thoughts and feelings about learning their donor’s identity.
Some people are unsure whether they want to know their donor’s identity and find talking through their options valuable. Others want to better understand the ID release process or have questions they would like answered. Our support sessions are a space for donor-conceived individuals to speak openly and receive the information they need to make an informed decision.
The donor profile
We can also provide donor-conceived individuals with a copy of their donor’s complete donor profile. This will contain information about the donor’s background, physical appearance, family, interests and personal values.
The donor profile enables donor-conceived individuals to get to know their donor better. For some people, that’s all they want and need. Others may want to go a step further and request contact with their donor.
Donor contact and donor counselling
If a donor-conceived individual wants to contact their donor, we can reach out to the donor to see how they feel about it. We give them time to reflect on the request and offer an optional support session in which they can talk it over. We also align expectations, increasing the likelihood of a positive experience for both donor-conceived individuals and donors. A donor always has the right to refuse contact.
Donor anonymity and regional regulations
While European Egg Bank only recruits ID release donors, national regulations surrounding donor anonymity vary considerably. For instance, the UK now mandates ID release for all donors, Spanish egg donors remain anonymous, and egg donors in Denmark can choose the option they prefer.
Similarly, ID release regulations vary between countries.
Frequently asked questions about donor anonymity and ID release
National legislation usually dictates that only donor-conceived individuals can request their donor’s identifying information. However, there are some countries in which parents are also permitted to do so on behalf of their child. If you want to know more about the legislation in your child’s country of birth, we recommend talking to one of our advisers.
No, a donor cannot learn the identity of a child conceived using their eggs unless the donor-conceived individual requests contact and reveals it themselves. A donor is notified when a donor-conceived individual requests their identifying information, but we do not give them any information about the individual or family making the request.
No, we do not charge anything for information released during the ID release process or for our optional support sessions.