Identity Experiences of Adults Conceived via Anonymous Sperm Donation: A Qualitative Study

In Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, sperm donation was legally anonymous until recently. Consequently, information about donor conception has often been kept secret or disclosed accidentally. This study explores the identity-related experiences of adults conceived through anonymous sperm donation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adults conceived via sperm donation and analyzed using multi-grounded theory. Twenty participants took part, including siblings, same-donor peer groups, and twins raised together. Identity emerged as a dynamic construct shaped by the interaction of psychological, sociological, and biological factors. Based on empirical findings and theoretical assumptions from adoption research we developed a framework that captures identity in donor conceived people as a dynamic, non-linear autobiographical process. This process involves formation, exploration, and integration of a dual identity that combines social and genetic dimensions. This process can considerably vary between individuals. Our study provides a coherent framework that may help to integrate fragmented empirical findings. Furthermore, our findings indicate that donor conceived identity exists along a spectrum, influenced by several simultaneous factors, rather than following a single way.