Het psychologisch welbevinden van Nederlandse adolescenten met lesbische moeders die gebruik maakten van een bekende, niet-anonieme of anonieme spermadonor

Abstract

Abstract Self-esteem and problem behavior in Dutch adolescents conceived through sperm donation in planned lesbian-mother families: Is donor type of importance? Until 2004, Dutch women seeking donor insemination through medical facilities could opt for open-identity or anonymous donors. Currently, Dutch medical facilities are only allowed to use sperm from open-identity donors. Focusing on adolescents who were born before 2004, the present study provides a unique opportunity to compare the well-being of those conceived through different donor types: known, open-identity, or anonymous. The present study is based on 67 Dutch adolescents (meanage=16.04) conceived through sperm donation in lesbian-mother families. Participating adolescents were asked to complete the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Youth Self-Report, and to answer questions about their donor. Thirty-three adolescents were conceived through known, 22 through open-identity, and 12 through anonymous donors. No significant differences were found on self-esteem or problem behavior among adolescents conceived through the three donor types. Likewise, no significant differences were found on these variables for adolescents with known donors who indicated that these men did or did not play important roles in their lives. Feeling uncomfortable about not knowing one’s donor was associated with lower levels of self-esteem and more externalizing problem behavior. That donor type has no bearing on adolescent self-esteem and problem behavior may help in guiding the donor choices of prospective lesbian parents.