New register for donors and donor offspring

22/8/2005

Today’s launch of the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology (HART) Register will give people conceived from donated embyros, sperm or eggs the opportunity to find out about their genetic origins. All future donations at fertility clinics which result in a birth will be included in the HART Register, and information about earlier donors and births can also be included.

The register, established as a result of the HART Act passed last year, will hold information about people who donate embryos, sperm or eggs, children born as a result, and their guardians. It will allow future donors and their offspring to find out about each other, and will also give people involved in earlier donor treatments the chance to do the same if they all give consent.

Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM), part of the Department of Internal Affairs, has responsibility under the HART Act to establish and maintain the register.

The Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Brian Clarke, encourages people who were conceived through fertility treatment using donated sperm, eggs or embryos to provide information about themselves to BDM for the new register. Guardians can provide information to BDM about their donor-conceived children who are under 18, and people who have donated sperm, eggs or embryos can also provide their information to be included on the new register.

“The more people who provide their information for the register, the greater the chances that BDM can link donors and donor offspring together. The HART Register aims to give people who were donor-conceived the opportunity to find out about their donors, and also allow donors to find out about the people who were conceived with the assistance of their donation. The register will grow over time,” Brian Clarke says.

Providing information for the register is free, but some fees apply to access the information. “Access to information on the register is carefully controlled. The information will only be available to those people to whom it relates, and to medical professionals if the information is required for providing medical treatment or advice,” Brian Clarke says.

BDM will also receive basic data from fertility clinics on donors, offspring and guardians for any donations made from today onwards that result in a birth. Fertility clinics will continue to hold more detailed information about these people for up to 50 years. Donors, offspring and their guardians can access that information under the terms of the HART Act.

A brochure about the HART Register and downloadable registration forms are available on the BDM website. People requiring further information about the HART Register can call the BDM contact centre, Freephone 0800 22 52 52.

Contact: Kate Harray, Communications Adviser – Identity Services, Department of Internal Affairs
Phone 04 382 3700 (direct dial) or mobile 027 471 4173