Table 3.

Reasons for parents’ decisions regarding telling their child about their conception.

Reasons for decision	Donor insemination		Egg donation		Genetic surrogacy		Gestational surrogacy		Total
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Plan not to tell child
To protect child	6	50.0	2	40.0	0	0	0	0	8	47.1
To protect mother	0	0	1	20.0	0	0	0	0	1	5.9
To protect father	3	25.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	17.6
To protect donor	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
To avoid disapproval	1	8.3	1	20.0	0	0	0	0	2	11.8
No need to tell	7	58.3	2	40.0	0	0	0	0	9	52.9
Don’t know how to tell	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Don’t know what to tell	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
See it as a personal matter	4	33.3	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	23.5
Plan to tell child
To protect child	1	25.0	4	40.0	0	0	1	33.3	6	33.3
To protect mother	0	0	1	10.0	0	0	0	0	1	5.6
To protect father	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
To protect donor	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
To avoid disapproval	1	25.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5.6
No need to tell	0	0	0	0	1	100	0	0	1	5.6
Child too young	3	75.0	9	90.0	1	100	2	66.7	15	83.3
Waiting for child to ask	0	0	1	10.0	1	100	1	33.3	3	16.7
Don’t know what to tell	2	50.0	2	20.0	0	0	0	0	4	22.2
Told child
Child has right to know	7	70.0	10	76.9	13	68.4	4	44.4	34	66.7
To avoid disclosure	2	20.0	5	38.5	15	78.9	6	66.7	28	54.9
No reason not to tell	0	0	2	15.4	6	31.6	3	33.3	11	21.6
To avoid intermarriage	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
To comply with donor wishes	0	0	0	0	1	5.3	0	0	1	2.0
Had no choice	1	10.0	1	7.7	4	21.1	0	0	6	11.8
Wanted to be honest	0	0	10	76.9	11	57.9	6	66.7	27	52.9

n = number of parents who offered this explanation; % = n as a percentage of the number of parents in each telling category who were interviewed about the reasons for their decision. Total percentages exceed 100 as parents could give more than one reason.