Families are happier when not related

WOMEN WHO give birth via fertility treatment using donated eggs make happier and less stressed-out mothers than their "natural" counterparts, according to new research.

In the first British study of the emotional and social development of children born by egg or sperm donation researchers have found that the absence of genetic ties improves the well-being of all family members.

The increasing use of egg and/or sperm donation has raised concerns among family experts that the stress of infertility may lead to dysfunctional parenting.

"People place a huge amount of emphasis on genetic relationships within families. Families that are not genetically related are often seen as second-class families in that they are not quite as close or their relationships don't mean quite as much," said the study's author, Professor Susan Golombok, director of the Family and Child Psychology Research Centre at City University, London. "We have found that the opposite is true. A strong desire for parenthood seems to be more important to the child's development and family behaviour than a genetic link."

The findings, based on more than 150 families with children from three to eight years old, showed that there was no difference in the children's emotional, social or intellectual development depending on whether they were conceived naturally or were the result of egg or sperm donation. In families where the child lacked a genetic relationship with the father, mothers expressed less warmth towards their child regardless of whether or not they themselves were genetically related. However, this did not affect the quality of parenting. Arguments between mothers and their genetically unrelated children were worse if there was a genetic link with the father.

"The parents of children conceived using egg donation took the ups and downs of looking after their children day-to-day much more in their stride," said Professor Golombok.

The researchers believe that infertile couples think that raising a child who is not related to the mother is a greater undertaking than when they have infertility treatment using their own eggs or sperm.

"The harder parents have tried to have a child and the more they have to go through means that those who make it to the end are particularly committed parents," said Professor Golombok.

Egg donation has only been available in Britain since 1983. In 1998 nearly 350 babies were born using donated eggs. Sperm donation has enabled couples to have children for many years. Last year 1,370 babies were born using donated sperm - a figure that has doubled in six years.

The study found that children who were not genetically linked to their fathers perceived themselves as cleverer than children in the other groups. Researchers believe that this is probably because a high proportion of sperm donors are medical students.This finding could represent a real difference in their ability.

None of the children who were conceived using donor sperm had been told about their genetic parentage and only one of the children conceived using egg donation had been told.

The secrecy surrounding their genetic parentage did not have a detrimental effect on the children in the study. "The oldest children were only eight years old. It remains to be seen whether this secrecy will lead to difficulties as they grow up," said Professor Golombok, who is planning to re-assess the children when they are 12.