Donor conception and co-parenting law
Welcome to our donor conception and co-parenting law pages, with leading resources and information for lesbian parents, solo mothers, married and unmarried parents through donor conception, donors and co-parents, donor-conceived people and fertility professionals.
Browse the pages on the left for more information about your particular circumstances. Here you can access resources including:
Court forms for donor conception
Media coverage about our work and campaigns
Other resources on donor conception and co-parenting
UK donor conception laws
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 put in place laws to protect married and unmarried parents conceiving with donor eggs or sperm. These rules still apply in respect of children conceived before 6 April 2009. From 6 April 2009, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 updated these rules, giving new rights to lesbian parents conceiving together as well as slightly updated rules for married and unmarried couples. Both acts also contain detailed rules governing how information about donor conception at UK fertility clinics is stored and made accessible to donor-conceived people, their parents and donors.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (see sections 27-29) - parenthood for children conceived before 6 April 2009
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (see sections 33-53) - parenthood for children conceived on or after 6 April 2009
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (see section 24) - rights to information about donor conception
Court forms for donor conception
Here are the court forms that you might need to acquire legal recognition for a non-biological parent if he or she does not have that status at birth:
Step-parent parental responsibility agreement form
How we can help
We are the UK's leading experts in donor conception and co-parenting law, and have worked with hundreds of families, as well as advising Stonewall, the Donor Conception Network, the National Gamete Donation Trust and other leading charities. We can help you to plan your family through donor conception, as well as with post-birth legal actions and representation in disputes. Find out more about our donor conception law services.
Media coverage about our work and campaigns
Pregnant pause: a guide for lesbians - Stonewall publication, July 2009
Same sex partners to be named on birth certificates - Radio 5 Live interview with Natalie, 31 August 2009
Times Lawyer of the Week - The Times, 15 January 2008 (on our representation of Andy Bathie, the sperm donor pursued by the CSA for maintenance)
John Humphrys interview with Natalie Gamble and Baroness Deech - BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, 19 November 2007
See our News Coverage and Publications pages for more.
Other resources on donor conception and co-parenting
Donor Conception Network - a UK charity committed to supporting donor conceived families.
National Gamete Donation Trust - a UK charity dedicated to recruiting and supporting egg and sperm donors.
UK Donorlink - a UK charity that supports donor-conceived people conceived before the HFEA Register was created in 1991.
Stonewall - the UK's leading gay rights charity.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) - the UK's regulatory body for fertility treatment.
Fertility Friends - a large online community of fertility patients and prospective parents.
Infertility Network UK - a leading UK charity which provides support with all aspects of fertility treatment.
Pride Angel - a UK limited company founded by professional scientists Erika and Karen dedicated to matching sperm donors, egg donors and co-parents worldwide.
British Infertility Counselling Association - the UK's professional association of fertility treatment counsellors.
