Donor conception — building a family with the help of donated eggs, sperm, or both — is more common than ever, yet many therapists enter these sessions underprepared. The clinical terrain is nuanced: it sits at the intersection of reproductive loss, identity development, relational dynamics, medical decision-making, and ethics. And the families navigating it deserve clinicians who can hold all of it. This one-hour training offers a focused, practical introduction to donor conception through a clinical lens. We’ll cover the foundational landscape of third-party reproduction, the unique psychological considerations for recipients, donors, and donor-conceived individuals, and the moments that most commonly surface in therapy — including disclosure conversations, identity questions, grief, and family-of-origin complexity. Whether you’re a generalist who wants to stop Googling mid-session or a perinatal specialist deepening your competency, you’ll leave with a clearer framework and greater clinical confidence when a client says, “We used a donor.”

Learning Objectives:

1. Distinguish between egg donation, sperm donation, and combined donor conception and
   describe their unique clinical considerations.
2. Use affirming, accurate language with intended parents and identify terms that are preferred, outdated, or potentially harmful in a therapeutic context.
3. Support clients across the donor conception journey — from family-building decisions and failed cycles to disclosure conversations and donor-conceived identity.  

Continuing Education: 1 Credit Hour
Please read our Inclusivity Statement