3000th Donor-conceived Child’s Record Added To HART Register

The Human Assisted Reproduction Technologies – or HART – registry has reached a significant milestone with notification of the 3000th birth of a donor-conceived child.

Established by the Human Assisted Reproductive Technologies Act 2004, the purpose of the register is to help people who are donor-conceived connect with their donors, and for donors of sperm, eggs, or embryos to get information about genetic offspring.

There are now also 1300 egg donors and 1800 sperm donors recorded. The registry is managed by the Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) team at Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs.

Registrar-General of Births. Deaths and Marriages Jeff Montgomery says since 2005 fertility clinics have been required to register information with BDM after a child is born following the donation of sperm, egg or embryos at the clinic. Information is recorded about the child, their parents and the sperm or egg donor.

“The first cohort of young people to benefit from mandatory registration will turn 16 in the second half of 2022,” says Jeff.

Older donor-conceived people and sperm or egg donors who donated at a New Zealand clinic before 22 August 2005 can register their own information voluntarily, either at the clinic (if they know it) or by contacting BDM on 0800 22 52 52 or bdm.nz@dia.govt.nz.

Numbers on the voluntary register are much lower than the mandatory register, with currently 29 donor-conceived people and 28 donors registered.

To help raise awareness of the register the Registrar-General will annually release registration statistics. Statistics to date are attached and will be available on the Department’s website.

“I want to take the opportunity of this milestone to raise awareness that the register exists, and for people who were donor-conceived or who have donated at a New Zealand clinic to know they can register and access information,” says Jeff.

“I encourage people on the register to keep their contact information up to date. Contact the clinic (if you know it) in the first instance. They will update their records, then notify BDM.”

Donor-conceived people can access information from the Fertility Clinic or the Registrar-General when they turn 18. Their parents/guardians can access the information before that time on their behalf. Alternatively, they can apply to the Family Court to approve access to their information if they are underage (16 or 17).

Managing this register is one of the ways the Department helps people access the information they need and build a sense of belonging.

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