Children born via assisted reproduction are just as psychologically well-adjusted as those born without assistance, according to a new study that followed 65 children born through egg donation, sperm donation, and surrogacy from infancy until age 20. The study found that children born through assisted reproduction had good relationships with their parents, particularly if their parents told them about their birth history before the age of 7.
The lead author of the study, Susan Golombok, a professor emerita of family research and former director of the Centre for Family Research at the University of Cambridge, noted that when the study began over 20 years ago, there was concern about the potential damaging effect on the relationship between the child and the parents due to the absence of a biological link. However, the study found that having children in different or new ways did not interfere with how families functioned.
It is best for parents to share the story of assisted reproduction with their children at an early age, so that it becomes a natural part of their family narrative. Clinical psychologist Rebecca Berry, an adjunct faculty member in the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, notes that children begin to ask questions about pregnancy between the ages of 3 and 4, and they will start to ask questions about where babies come from as a way of understanding why they are here.
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It is also important for parents to revisit the birth history from time to time, so that the conversation is ongoing, giving the child a chance to ask questions in an age-appropriate way as they grow older. Golombok notes that many of the parents in the study used children’s books specifically designed for this purpose, allowing them to bring their child’s own story into the narrative.
The study found that there were no differences in maternal anxiety and depression between families formed by surrogacy, egg or sperm donation, and families with children born without assisted conception. However, mothers who had babies via donor eggs reported less positive family relationships than mothers who used sperm donation, likely due to insecurities about a lack of genetic connection to their children. Young adults conceived by sperm donation reported poorer family communication than those conceived by egg donation, possibly due to a greater reluctance on the part of fathers to disclose they are not a genetic parent.
In conclusion, the study provides reassurance to parents who may have been concerned about the potential negative impact of assisted reproduction on their children. As long as parents share the story of assisted reproduction early and keep the conversation ongoing, children born through egg donation, sperm donation, and surrogacy are just as psychologically well-adjusted as those born without assistance.
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