Understanding sperm donation with Hayley King

In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, I’m joined by Hayley King, donor-conceived adult, mum of donor-conceived twins, and Operations Manager at Path to Parenthub. We’re talking about the story that made headlines last December, a sperm donor with a genetic mutation linked to cancer being used in nearly 200 conceptions across 14 countries.

This episode unpacks how this could happen, the gaps in donor regulation that allow it, and what this means for families. We also talk about the emotional, ethical, and logistical challenges of donor conception in a globalised industry, where the same donor can be used across borders with no international limits in place.

Hayley brings both personal and professional insight into how families can make informed choices, why early disclosure matters, and what changes are urgently needed to protect the next generation.

If you’re on a donor conception path or supporting someone who is, this conversation is essential listening.

What we discuss in this episode:

1. Hayley’s experience growing up as a donor-conceived person, and what shifted when she became a parent herself
2. Why early disclosure matters and how secrecy shaped the mental health of donor-conceived people in the past
3. The UK’s 10-family donor limit and why it does not apply outside the UK
4. How one donor can be used in multiple countries with no tracking or shared system
5. The story of one donor linked to a BRCA1 cancer gene being used in nearly 200 conceptions
6. What “family limits” really mean and why they are difficult to enforce globally
7. The emotional weight of discovering you have 50 or even 100 donor siblings
8. How sperm banks and clinics are often driven by profit rather than transparency
9. What questions prospective parents can ask their clinic or sperm bank
10. Why Path to Parent Hub was created as a safe space for donor conception families
11. Hayley’s advice for parents, donors, and donor-conceived adults navigating identity and connection

A note on regulation and emotional safety:

While advances in genetic screening are helpful, they are not foolproof. The issue is not just medical, it is ethical. Donors should not be used to create hundreds of families across continents.

Without international family limits or shared tracking systems, donor-conceived people may unknowingly share genetics with a vast number of people worldwide. This impacts their sense of self, their safety in relationships, and their ability to connect the dots in their identity.

As Hayley says, transparency matters. Families deserve accurate information and regulated systems that put people over profit.

Let’s keep the conversation going:

1. Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
2. Follow Hayley on instagram: @dcp_journey_2_rp
3. Email your thoughts or guest ideas: natalie@thefertilitypodcast.com
4. Learn more about support groups and donor conception resources at fertilityaction.org
5. Join Path to Parenthub for weekly support groups, lived-experience blogs, and access to the Path to Parent Hub podcast
6. Listen to Hayley and Becky’s episodes on creating emotionally safe families through donor conception
7. Read more about the donor regulation campaign via Fertility Action and Fertility Network UK

If this episode helped you feel seen or helped you ask new questions, please subscribe, leave a review, or share it with someone on a similar path.

Until next time.