For families that include donor-conceived children, even minor events like National Siblings Day or building a family tree for a class project can feel different. But things are starting to change. In recent years, an increasing number of books, movies, and shows have explored the multidimensional and complicated aspects of donor-conceived sibling relationships and non-traditional family building.
One recent example is the documentary, Future People: The Family of Donor 5114, which is currently streaming on Discovery+. This film focuses on a group of donor-conceived siblings who find each other and wait until their respective 18th birthdays before they attempt to contact their donor. As the film makes clear, the relationships between donor-conceived siblings can have a profound impact on their lives. Along with being connected biologically, these offspring also understand the unique realities and challenges of being donor-conceived children. In cases of anonymous sperm donors, meeting siblings offers some context for physical characteristics and personality traits not seen in their parent(s).
Join Our Sibling Registry, SSB Connects
Seattle Sperm Bank understands what family connections can mean for non-traditional family building. SSB Connects, our sibling registry, allows families to initiate communication on their own terms. Through our anonymous platform, families are verified so they can safely connect with others who have used the same donor. These conversations can then be continued outside of the SSB Connects space as desired.
Additionally, all SSB donors are Open ID, which means they have contractually agreed to at least one form of contact with any donor-conceived child once the child reaches 18. This gives donor-conceived children more choice and control when it comes to learning about their background.
SSB is proud to support family-building dreams and we celebrate the various ways families are created. If you have used SSB to have a child and would like access to SSB Connects, please begin by filling out a birth report and emailing us to request access.
If you have a donor-conceived family story you would like to share with us, we’d love to hear it. Please email them to cs@seattlespermbank.com.