There’s never a wrong way to bring a child into this world. However, if you do choose to use a donor egg (or adopt, or use a surrogate, or use donor sperm, or a number of other 21st century options), you can face a few unexpected challenges later in life — particularly whether or not to tell your child about their conception.
To be clear, there is no one right or wrong way to raise your child. While the choice is ultimately up to you as a parent, below is what many researchers believe to be the best option for most families.
Why There’s a Strong Case for Telling Your Child
Telling your child they were born from a donor egg can be very stressful. Often times, parents think their child will reject them because they’re not genetically related. However, numerous studies have shown that it’s best to speak honestly and openly about your child’s conception with them.
By telling your child about their conception at a young age, you:
- Create an environment based on trust, honesty, and openness.
- Allow your child the ability to make their own decisions, particularly regarding whether or not they want to contact their biological parent.
- Can help them better protect their own health, as some diseases are passed down genetically.
- Can explain why you and your child don’t look alike or share similar features. Sometimes children who do not look like one or both of their parents automatically assume they were adopted or the product of an affair.
It’s also best to tell your child at a relatively young age — most researchers believe starting the conversation as early as four or five. While your child certainly won’t understand the complexities of reproduction at this age, it gets the conversation started. This should not be a one-time conversation, but rather an ongoing exchange of information, emotions, and questions from both parties as your little one ages.
Asian Egg Bank was established to meet the ever-rising demand for Asian egg donors. Having helped hundreds of couples experience the joy of parenthood, we’re proud to be the world’s largest Asian Egg Bank!
Give us a call at 858-381-3224 or visit us online for more information!