As the world’s largest sperm and egg bank, we have a great responsibility that we take very seriously. By offering different resources for both donor-conceived children and their parents we hope to contribute to an understanding, honest and loving environment for the children and families that are created with our help.
The available resources include:
- Children's book explaining donor conception
- Disclosure of donor identity for children of ID Release donors
- Free counselling for donor-conceived children about contacting their donor
- Online community and resources for parents
…And more.
Read on to learn more about how we support donor-conceived children and their parents at different stages.
Available resources in the planning phase
Going through fertility treatment can be challenging and lonely. That is why we facilitate an online community on Facebook for those – single or in a relationship – who dream of having a child, and who need help from a donor to achieve that dream. ‘Family Dreams’ is a supportive forum with 5.000+ like-minded people who share questions, thoughts, experiences, and hope.
We plan different events on a regular basis – both live and online. Our events are usually a combination of an introduction to using a donor and the chance to ask questions and get personal counselling. Sometimes with participation from a local clinic, a donor-conceived person, or a parent to a donor-conceived child.
We also offer personal counselling with our dedicated Customer Care Team through our ’Book a free call’-service in 10 different languages.
For those who prefer to read about the process on their own, we offer guides, inspiration, and personal stories on the Cryos blog, and send out newsletters explaining the process of using a sperm donor, step by step.
Pregnancy and birth – Cryos’ midwife guides your patients
A positive pregnancy test is of course the ultimate success criterion when having fertility treatment with donor sperm. But at Cryos, we understand that a pregnancy after fertility treatment may bring an extra layer of anxiety and vulnerability. To support our customers all the way through pregnancy and birth, we offer our online publication ‘The Midwife’s Guide – Before, during, and after pregnancy’ – written by Julie, a trained midwife and now Customer Care Consultant at Cryos.
Our blog also includes a pregnancy section covering topics regarding pregnancy signs, the two-week wait, breastfeeding, and more.
Parenthood – supporting donor-conceived children and their parents
To help support their children and facilitate an open dialogue about being donor-conceived, Cryos offers resources to parents of donor-conceived children. Our website includes a section for parents containing guides on how to talk to your child about donor conception and how to help your child if he/she wants to get in contact with the donor. Cryos also offers a children’s book to help parents initiate the talk and explain their children about donor conception. The book was made by Cryos with help from Cryos’ Donor Child Consultant, Emma, who was conceived with help from a Cryos donor herself. The book comes in three versions customized for different family forms: Single Mothers by Choice, Lesbian parents and Heterosexual couples using donor sperm.
'Our miracle' - children’s book by Cryos
Our Miracle is a safe and playful universe intended to help parents of donor-conceived children explain donor conception in a simple and illustrative manner. It is a story about what you need to make a baby, and how the important missing piece – a lively sperm cell - was provided by a kind man wanting to help others. But most of all it is a story about how parents with a strong wish to have a baby got to have their miracle - and all the love and joy that came with it.
The story is told through detailed illustrations and minimal text, with a playful rabbit as a constant companion appearing frequently throughout the book. This makes the book relevant and engaging for children of different ages.
The book is a new offer for parents who have used Cryos donor sperm to conceive. Your patient is offered a copy of the book for free (shipping not included) when registering a pregnancy with Cryos.
The book is available in three versions and various languages, allowing your patients to select the one that best suits their family.
Contact with a Cryos donor – identity disclosure and free counselling
When using an ID Release Donor, the child has the opportunity to find out more about the donor from Cryos. Parents can request a Donor Child Certificate for their child, and with this certificate, donor-conceived children can easily contact Cryos after turning 18 and obtain identifying information about their sperm donor if they are curious to know more about the donor. The identifying information is the donor’s full name, date of birth and latest address provided to Cryos by the donor himself.
Cryos also offers free counselling, in which donor-conceived children can get help and support before contacting their donor. To help ensure the best conditions for making it a good experience for all parties, a trained counsellor will provide different perspectives on how to approach the donor and prepare for possible outcomes.
We are here to help your patients
If your patients have any questions regarding use of donor sperm, please send them our way. We are here to assist them with everything from how to choose a sperm donor, when to order donor sperm, or the possibilities of getting in contact with the donor.
We offer a free book a call-service, in which your patients can select a time and language to receive a free call from one of our Customer Care Consultants.