THE DISCLOSURE DECISION - CONCERNS AND ISSUES OF PARENTS OF CHILDREN CONCEIVED THROUGH DONOR INSEMINATION

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to examine the disclosure deci sion by parents of children conceived by donor insemination. STUDY DES IGN: A qualitative component of a self-administered questionnaire mail ed to 184 couples who had become parents by donor insemination encoura ged respondents to volunteer their written comments, concerns, or opin ions about their disclosure decision. RESULTS: A total of 70 men and 8 6 women submitted written comments indicating that 54% did not plan to disclose the donor insemination treatment (nondisclosers), 30% indica ted they would (disclosers), and 16% remained undecided. The only sign ificant relationship between the disclosure decision and expressed con cern was with regard to confidentiality and honesty (chi(2) = 99.9, P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Whether parents viewed the disclosure issue as on e of honesty (disclosers) or confidentiality (nondisclosers) was the m ajor determinant in the decision of whether to tell children about the ir donor insemination origin. There was no association between disclos ure status or gender and expressed concerns about parenting, children, or family relations.