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Many parents-to-be worry about the likelihood that their child will have multiple donor siblings.

Donor counseling may lead to fewer donations but is no guarantee that donors will limit offspring.

Early disclosure and up-to-date information is essential for all involved.

The news is full of stories about donor-conceived children unknowingly dating in high school or feeling overwhelmed about the number of donor siblings they have. Some banks and agencies have made efforts to limit donations by each donor and educate donors about the long-term implications of donating to many families, which may incentivize donors to limit their donations. Some have even established communication systems with other banks to limit their donors’ donations.

However, stories like the one reported on CNN about the woman who inadvertently dated her “half-brother” in high school or the story about donor Jonathan Jacob Meijer, in the Netflix film The Man With 1000 Kids, have drawn a great deal of attention. It makes sense to feel paralyzed by these stories. But as I describe in my Zoom Out theory, this is precisely the moment to pause, review the facts, and focus on what you can do for your future family.

The questions for many recipients of egg or sperm donation are: Will it hurt my child to have many donor siblings, and is it possible to track donors?

The stress that many recipients carry can be heavy. Some even wonder if they should relinquish their long-held dream of having a child. They fear ruining their child’s life by bringing a child into the world with the potential for so many siblings. While it is true that there are people who........

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