NBC News recently shared the story of Ted Wood, an attorney in Sacramento who submitted a home DNA test to Ancestry.com. As an adoptee himself, Wood was hoping he would find and be able to connect with his biological father. Instead, he found adult daughters he didn’t know existed, conceived through the use of sperm he anonymously donated while in college.

Wood hadn’t even thought of the possibility that he had donor-conceived children. So, when one of his biological daughters, 27-year old Melissa Daniels, messaged him through the Ancestry platform, he was stunned. Wood and Daniels struck up a tentative conversation online, sharing small details and basic information. Eventually, they arranged to meet face-to-face, along with two of Wood’s other donor-conceived daughters who also wanted to meet him. Their meeting in a hotel lobby, which included Wood’s wife and their children, was a positive one and the group planned to get together again.

Both of the parents who raised Daniels are deceased. Meeting Wood gave her some peace and closure. Wood, who initially submitted his DNA to find his own father, unfortunately didn’t have the chance to do so. However, meeting Daniels and his other biological children was a moving and pleasant experience for him.

Connections between sperm donors and their now-adult offspring are happening with increased frequency, as more people yearn to learn about their biological makeup. Of course, the promise of anonymity in sperm or egg donation isn’t truly an option anymore with the proliferation of do-it-yourself DNA testing kits.

Although anonymity between donors and their biological children cannot be guaranteed, we can work closely with you to ensure your rights in the assisted reproduction process – and your child’s rights – are protected to the fullest extent possible. To learn more, contact us today.