What Are Known Donors?

A known donor is someone whose identity is known to the recipients. The donation may occur within the formal system (e.g. IUI or IVF within a fertility clinic) or informally (e.g. self-insemination at home).  

The recipients and donor may have an existing relationship with each other, or they may meet specifically for the donation, including through online pathways such as Facebook groups.   

Using a known donor can give people with more flexibility and control compared to using an unknown donor through a clinic. This allows them to make choices about the relationship and arrangements from the start.   

LGBTIQ+ people often prefer known donors as it allows the child to know or have the option to know the donor early in life. Known donors may or may not have an active ongoing role in the child’s life.  

Arrangements between recipients and donors vary widely and sit along a continuum of kinship intentions. At one end, the donor has little or no involvement in the child’s life. In other arrangements, the donor may take on a role within the child’s social network, such as being a family friend or an extended family like an ‘uncle’. At the other end of the continuum, the donor may be involved as a co-parent, with shared responsibilities for the child. 

While these are three common forms of arrangements, it is important to note that LGBTIQ+ families are diverse. Some families may look different.  

In comparison, an unknown donor (also known as a ‘identity release donor’) is someone whose identity is not known to the recipients at time of conception and whose sperm is donated to and accessed via fertility clinics.   

Before 2017, the identity of people who donated to fertility clinics was anonymous. Information provided to recipients about the donor was limited and non-identifying, such as family medical history and physical characteristics.  

More recently, legislative changes in Victoria mean that donor conceived people can access identifying information about their donor once they turn 18 years old or are assessed to be mature enough by a qualified counsellor.