A new law came into effect on Wednesday in Victoria, significantly altering the way the identity of sperm and egg donors is handled. In what has been described as ‘a world first’, people conceived with donor sperm or eggs will now have the right to access the donor’s name, date of birth and donor code, if available, even if the donation was made anonymously or the donor didn’t give consent to being identified.
The newly-implemented donor conception legislation came as an answer to a movement raising awareness that people have a fundamental interest in knowing their biological origins, for both psychological reasons but also to have access to their genetic and medical history. The new law affects people born before 1988, when sperm and egg donations in Victoria were made anonymously, and those born from egg, sperm or embryos donated between 1988 and 1998, when a donor’s consent was needed before their offspring could access information about them.
Although the law grants people access to the donor’s identity, it also offers provisions, especially for people who donated before 1998 (and who may have concerns about how the changes will affect them and their families, as in some cases their family may not even know they donated).
Under the new law, donors can choose how they and any of their own children under 18 years of age are contacted (i.e. by email, phone, letter, or by a donor linking service), if they wish to be contacted at all.