Focusing on pre-conception, and the post-conception complexities in Donor Conception and Surrogacy [DC&S]

Introduction :

Preventing & addressing complexities in DC&S

This workshop will explore the complexities for individual and families created through Donor Conception and/or Surrogacy [DC&S], looking specifically about how changes in practice pre-conception might reduce or prevent these.

Less attention has been paid to the perspectives of either those conceived through these procedures and arrangements, or the parents who choose to be open and support their children into adulthood with communication about their origins. Very often the views of these people are not considered: the focus is more on intending parents, and clients/patients who want to create a family.

Issues surrounding Donor Conception and Surrogacy require coordinated attention from many perspectives: the event will highlight the voices and views of those directly affected, and commit to interdisciplinary discussion. It will bring together experts in family mental health [clinical psychologists, family and individual psychotherapists & psychiatrists], lawyers [academics and those in practice], bioethicists, Children’s Rights experts including representatives from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child [UNCRC], and Hague Conference on Private International Law. We will invite those working in Medically Assisted Reproduction [MAR] and Children’s Commissioners. Together with those with direct links to DC&S we will explore the interconnecting aspects of the complexities including: legal complications especially from international surrogacy and cross border treatment. The issues of anonymity and identity will be considered from ethical and psychological perspectives, and address the process of being ‘open’ and how this can be supported.

The workshop will consider research in different spheres; developments in legislation in a number of countries including some that have made recent changes in laws, or where they are imminent; legal cases and judgements so that international variations are acknowledged. The long term ramifications for development, physical and psychological wellbeing and fertility will be drawn together. It will hold central the needs of all those directly affected, particularly those created, as these children have rights long before they grow up and become adults.

Attendees will then focus on the changes that might prevent or reduce the complexities, such as those raised in the bibliography: and consider the resources and services necessary to provide support, both from peer led organisations, and psychosocial professionals, to deal effectively with complications that arise.

The event will include presentations, Q&A sessions and small group discussions that feed into plenary sessions. Time on the second/third days will be linked to proposed outputs, and creating working groups that can take the tasks further after the event. It is expected that all the workshops, discussion groups and working groups will have a balanced representation of the valued diverse opinions including psychosocial, bioethical, legal and medical, and those who have been directly affected.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

BioPsychosocial papers

Nunn J.S., Crawshaw M., Lacaze P. (2021) Co-Designing Genomics Research with a large group of donor-conceived siblings (2021) Research, Involvement and Engagement https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-021-00325-7
Crawshaw, M. and van den Akker, O. (2021) How many is too many? Who is thinking about the children? BioNews 1099 https://www.bionews.org.uk/page_157143

Pettle S (2020). Donor Conception and the Roles for Systemic Therapists. Feedback: Journal of the Family Therapy Association of Ireland (Winter): 54-64

Pettle S & Markham H [2018] Gamete Donation and Surrogacy in Medico-legal Issues in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Jha S & Ferriman E(Eds.) 307-311

Markham H QC & Pettle S [2017] Surrogacy – When arrangements go wrong and how the court system responds. 36Family Newsletter.
Crawshaw, M. (2017) Direct-to-consumer DNA testing – the fallout for individuals and their families unexpectedly learning of their donor conception origins Human Fertility DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14647273.2017.1339127
Pettle S, Brunstein L and O’Mahoney N (2015). A multi-family workshop with donor-conceived teenagers and parents. Context, the magazine for family therapy and systemic practice 123: 3-7
Blyth E. and Crawshaw M (2015) Breaches of the HFEA’s donor ‘ten family’ limit – who should be told what? BioNews 786
Pettle. S.A. [2003] Psychological therapy and counselling with individuals and families after donor conception. Chapter 8 in Assisted Human Reproduction: Psychological and Ethical Dilemmas. Singer D. & Hunter M. [Eds.] Whurr: London & Philadelphia
Pettle S. (2002) Some findings from research into secrets about biological parentage. Context, the magazine for family therapy and systemic practice. Special Edition: Researching Families and Family Therapy, 59, February 2-4