All things
Donor Conception
By Hayley King
Advice, support and guidance for anyone seeking information on sperm, egg or embryo donation
Hi, I’m Hayley!
Welcome to All Things Donor Conception! I am both a donor conceived adult and also the mum to sperm donor conceived twins who are nearly 6 years old. I’ve been with my wife for 13 years now (wow where did that time go!) and we currently live in Wales, UK.
This site was born out of a desire to share information and resources on this often unspoken topic. I also hope it brings support and comfort for anyone who finds themselves here.
Being both a donor conceived person as well as a recipient parent puts me in the unique position of being able to understand the complexities of these situations.
What started as a simple Instagram account, where I began posting about my lived experience, has grown to an audience who clearly desired more information on donor conception. A stark need for resources and support relating to this field has led to the creation of my latest baby,
All Things Donor Conception.
My aim – to bring together the latest research, support platforms and advocacy work into one place, to provide a balanced and informative view of this complex topic.
Are you a…
Parent
Parenting via donor conception is an amazing experience. However, many parents encounter worries and concerns such as:
How will my children feel?
How do I talk to my children about their story?
How do I acknowledge genetics?
Where do I go for support and community?
Professional
I offer guest speaking services in a range of settings including:
Infertility and donor conception events
Conferences and summits
Parent support groups and panels
All services offered virtually or in person
Paths to Parenthub Membership for Professionals
Donor Conceived Person
Trying to navigate the journey of being donor conceived can be challenging, especially in circumstances of late discovery. However, there are a great number of resources now available to you:
Support groups
Blog posts and downloads
Community networks
Donor
Donors are such an integral part of the donor conception community, but their needs and support are often overlooked. I have begun to collate some resources that may be helpful including:
Free downloads
Blog posts
Signposting links to support groups
For…
Parents
Paths to Parenthub
Paths to Parenthub is a private support network of others in a similar situation – for the price of a coffee a week, it’s a resource for all of your parenting concerns, queries and questions when it comes to donor conception (from 0-18 years and beyond!).
Donor Sibling Course
Many parents are now looking to make connections with their children’s donor siblings whilst young. However, there is little support out there regarding how to manage these often complex relationships. I’m currently working alongside some of the best experts in this area to provide a specialised resource for parents. Be the first to know when this is available.
Donor Conception Network
DCN is a UK based charity network that supports donor conceived people and families with donor conceived children. The DCN provide a range of resources for parents including story books, courses and downloadable information.
Resource Library
Take a look at the resources I have compiled over the past few years whilst working within the donor conception community. You may also find my blog helpful to learn about different perspectives.
For…
Professionals
Speaking at Events
My personal experiences within this area have enabled me to gain great insight into the complexities of donor conception. Furthermore, I also have an in-depth knowledge of worldwide donor conception law, first hand application of commercial DNA testing, and also an academic background in Research and Applied Psychology.
Ten years of operational policing experience has also provided me with excellent communication skills, ensuring I am able to discuss this topic with knowledge and sensitivity.
I’m available to speak at events, panels, support groups or provide comments to media about any topic concerning donor conception.
Paths to Parenthub Professional Membership
Paths to Parenthub offers community, professional insights and support to help make the path to parenthood through donor conception feel less lonely and easier to navigate. As a professional member, you will have exclusive access to our resources to provide you with specific insights into the complexities within donor conception, including the most common fears and questions that are often raised by recipient parents, which will help you to best understand and support your patients.
*I work in partnership with Becky at Paths to Parenthub as the LGBTQ+ Director, however this is an affiliate link, meaning I get a commission if you decide to sign up through this link
For…
Donor Conceived People
Connect with Hayley
I document my donor conception story and experiences on Instagram. My hope is to try and build bridges between our communities through storytelling, information sharing, advocacy and reciprocal compassion, regardless of which ‘side of the triad you sit’!
Donor Conception Network
DCN is a UK based charity network that supports donor conceived people and families with donor conceived children. They run a variety of online sessions and workshops, offer books and resources, and answer many questions that DCP have.
Donor Conceived Community
DCC provides peer support groups and resources for donor conceived people. They run a variety of groups and educational sessions on DNA discoveries and donor conception topics, with a library of resources and book recommendations.
Donor Conceived Register
The purpose of the DCR is to help those people who have been impacted by donor conception in the United Kingdom. Originally set up to help match donor conceived people with donors from pre 1991 births, the register has now expanded to help more individuals. Services include counselling for donor conceived adults, information and resources.
For…
Donors
Seed Trust - Information and support for donors
The Sperm, Egg and Embryo Donation (SEED) Trust offers advice, support and information to prospective donors, intended parents and surrogates.
They have a wealth of free and impartial information about becoming a donor, FAQs, stories and experiences from other donors, and useful links.
Resource Library
Take a look at the resources I have compiled over the past few years whilst working within the donor conception community. You can find resources specifically for donors here but also for parents and donor conceived people so you can find out more about donor conception as a whole. You may also find my blog helpful to learn about different perspectives.
Free download
The ‘Nugget’ Series Recharged
The helpful toolbox of tips, advice and resources for parents of donor conceived children. This guide will provide you with:
• Real life examples of how to talk to your children about their conception story
• Practical tips that you can implement today
• Tools to build your confidence and bust those insecurities
Subscribe below to download the PDF. You’ll also receive regular helpful emails from me including the occasional marketing message. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Blog
Real Talk – From A Donor’s Perspective
In a community filled with people talking about their lived experience - infertility accounts, parents of donor conceived children and increasingly more donor conceived adults, sadly it is still somewhat rare to hear from the perspective of a donor. Erik* donated his...
Guest post for IVF Babble – Why One Donor Conceived Parent Who Has Donor Conceived Children Encourages Openness
Recently I was interviewed by fertility advocate Jennifer Jay Palumbo for IVF Babble. We spoke about donor conception, my own journey as a donor conceived person and as a parent to donor conceived children, how I found out later in life that I was donor conceived, my...
From Donor Conceived Person to Recipient Parent
Originally published as a guest post on DefiningMum.com My story starts in the early 1980’s. My parents have been married for many years but unable to conceive. After exhausting all avenues my parents finally get pregnant with the help of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF)...