One of the most important decisions intended parents make when selecting an egg donor is whether to choose an ID-release (also called open-identity or identity-release) donor or a non-ID-release (anonymous) donor. This decision affects what information a donor-conceived child can access when they grow up, and it has implications for how a family thinks about disclosure and identity over time.

What the Terms Mean

Non-ID-release (anonymous) donors have agreed to donate their eggs without making their identifying information available to donor-conceived children. Recipients receive medical and background information but not the donor's legal name, contact details, or location. In a traditional anonymous arrangement, neither the child nor the intended parents would be able to contact the donor after the donation is complete.

ID-release donors have agreed that any child born from their donation may receive identifying information — typically name and last known contact information — when they turn 18. This agreement does not require the donor to have an ongoing relationship with the child; it simply means the information will be available if the child chooses to seek it.

How the Landscape Has Changed

A decade ago, anonymous donation was the standard and ID-release donors were less common. Today, the picture is more complex for several reasons:

  • Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (23andMe, AncestryDNA) has made true anonymity increasingly difficult to guarantee. Donor-conceived individuals can often identify biological relatives — including donors — through DNA matching, regardless of the donor's formal designation.
  • Research on donor-conceived individuals increasingly suggests that access to identity information supports psychological wellbeing and identity development.
  • Many programs have shifted toward ID-release as the default or strongly encouraged option, particularly for newer cohorts.

Intended parents selecting donors today should consider these realities when weighing the nominal anonymity of a non-ID-release arrangement.

What Intended Parents Often Consider

Some intended parents prefer an ID-release donor because it aligns with their values around openness and gives their child the option — not the obligation — to seek connection if they choose. Others have concerns about an unknown person contacting their child later in life, or about the donor's potential expectations.

Both perspectives are understandable, and neither is objectively correct. What matters most is that the decision is made thoughtfully and in conversation with a counselor who can help intended parents explore the implications for their specific family.

Intended parents evaluating egg donation programs that offer both ID-release and non-ID-release options benefit from working with a program that can explain the practical differences clearly and support them in making an informed choice.

Talking to Your Child

Research consistently shows that children who learn about their donor conception history early and matter-of-factly — rather than having it revealed later or discovered accidentally — have better outcomes. Whether the donor is ID-release or not, the openness of the family's own conversations about the child's origins matters more than the donor's formal designation.

Families who plan ahead for these conversations, perhaps with support from a donor-conception counselor, are better positioned to handle their child's questions with confidence regardless of what information will ultimately be available.

Programs that take these considerations seriously — offering resources and guidance alongside the donor selection process — are better partners for families building their lives through a thoughtful and values-aligned egg donation program.