SEEDS Conference 2022: Raising the Bar
Raising the Bar – How can we do better? A recap from the SEEDS 2022 Conference
The last two years in the world of donor conception and surrogacy has been tumultuous - with Covid affecting many aspects of our field, our team was delighted to get back to some "normality" as we gathered with our fertility partners and attended the Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy (SEEDS) 2022 Conference in Costa Mesa, CA. 
Attended by surrogacy and egg donor agency representatives, reproductive attorneys, fertility therapists, donor conceived people, and more, the SEEDS 2022 conference provided an opportunity for us to learn from each other. This year’s conference covered a wide range of issues including the introduction of new standards for members, surrogacy insurance, and ethics in advertising. We were thrilled that there were several sessions that emphasized the perspectives of people who are donor conceived.
The conference opened with remarks from Carole Lieber Wilkins, M.A., a specialized fertility therapist with years of expertise working with individuals and families through donor conception and beyond. She’s previously shared her expertise with us on talking with children about donor conception.
Susan Golombok, a fellow at the University of Cambridge, began the event by presenting her research on donor conception and familial relationships. Her presentation highlighted the importance of beginning discussions around conception early – early disclosure was associated with more positive familial relationships. Her research reinforced that families of donor conception have deep and loving familial bonds, especially when openness and acceptance are practiced early and often. You can find more of Professor Golombok’s groundbreaking work in her book, “We Are Family: what really matters for parents and children.”
Another impactful event was a panel hosted by Tyler Sniff, Tim Schlesinger, Angela Hartshorn, and Wyatt Zolla. They discussed the best approaches to better support people who are donor conceived, and their experiences echoed many of the main takeaways from Professor Golombok’s research. As professionals who work primarily with hopeful parents, our ultimate obligation is to keep the needs of their future child in mind. So what did we learn? Transparency and openness are key ingredients in helping children understand their unique origins.
Connect with so many of our peers and partners in the ART space, brought fresh perspectives, connection and deepening understanding of this wonderful world of third party fertilit. The Donor Concierge team truly appreciated the 2022 SEEDS conference, and we feel it marks the progress that the assisted reproductive technology field has made in recent years. The emphasis on transparency, understanding, and embracing our unique conception stories was incredibly powerful.
Looking to start your third-party fertility journey? Need help finding a surrogate, egg donor or sperm donor? Book a free consultation with Donor Concierge today.
