Embracing Open Donation: How EDC Nexus Supports Lifelong Connections & Wellbeing

1. Introduction: The Shift Toward Openness in Gamete Donation
2. Why Open Gamete Donation Matters More Than Ever
3. Ongoing Medical Updates: A Lifelong Safety Net
4. DNA Testing & Discovery: A New Era of Truth
5. Donor & Donor Family Connections
6. Sibling Connections: A New Kind of Family
7. Mental Health, Identity & Ongoing Conversations
8. Why Choose EDC Nexus?
9. Final Thoughts: Redefining What It Means to Be Family
10. Want to Learn More?

1. Introduction: The Shift Toward Openness in Gamete Donation

Egg, embryo & sperm donation has come a long way from its anonymous roots. Today, an increasing number of families and donors are advocating for openness, connection, and transparency—values that reflect real-world needs and long-term wellbeing.

At the center of this evolution is EDC Nexus, a secure donor registry built to support updated medical information and lifelong communication for donors, recipient families, and donor-conceived individuals.

There's never been a better time to embrace the value of connection—even in non-identified arrangements—by exploring how EDC Nexus supports health, identity, and emotional wellness for everyone involved.

2. Why Open Gamete Donation Matters More Than Ever

With the rise of DNA testing and widespread social media, anonymity can no longer be guaranteed. Donor-conceived individuals are discovering their origins earlier and more often—sometimes before their parents have had a chance to tell them.

Fortunately, many donor programs are transitioning to semi-open and open matches to support this evolution. These types of arrangements involve, at minimum, the donor agreeing to a “release of identity” when the donor-conceived child turns 18 years of age but mental health professionals acknowledge that contact prior to adulthood may be necessary for everyone's wellbeing.

With this in mind, programs offer opportunities for matches to embrace semi-open and open agreements whereby the donor and intended parents acknowledge the importance of exchanging medical information on a consistent basis along with the ability to communicate directly through a secure platform. Platforms like EDC Nexus help families get ahead of these discoveries by fostering intentional, respectful, and age-appropriate connections.

3. Ongoing Medical Updates: A Lifelong Safety Net

Medical history evolves. A donor, or her close family members, may develop health conditions years after their donation—information that can be vital to their biological children.

With EDC Nexus, donor-conceived individuals can receive critical medical updates that may affect screening, prevention, or early diagnosis.

For Donors

Donors often want to be as forthcoming as possible—especially when it comes to sharing updated family medical history. EDC Nexus gives them a secure, controlled space to do just that, without pressure for direct contact. Additionally the donor-conceived can reciprocate information about issues impacting them that may prove critical to the donor's own children or future family building decisions.

For Intended Parents

Access to updated donor health information provides peace of mind and equips parents to better advocate for their child's medical needs.

4. DNA Testing & Discovery: A New Era of Truth

With millions of people using services like 23andMe and Ancestry.com, “DNA surprises” are becoming more common. Many donor-conceived individuals are learning the truth about their genetic origins in adolescence or adulthood—sometimes without support or context. The ability to remain “anonymous” is a dangerous misconception for both donors and Intended Parents when in fact, the opportunity presents itself in early childhood to build a positive narrative around donor conception.

EDC Nexus encourages openness for the beginning, providing tools for truthful conversations and voluntary connections—well before discovery happens unexpectedly.

5. Donor & Donor Family Connections

Many donor-conceived people express a strong desire to know more about their donor—even if they don't seek an active relationship. Learning about genetics, personality, and even hobbies can help shape identity and reduce feelings of confusion or loss.

EDC Nexus enables donor profiles and messaging that honor this curiosity while respecting boundaries.

For Donors

Contrary to old myths, many donors welcome updates or even contact with the Intended Parents and children they helped bring into the world—especially when it's on mutual terms.

EDC Nexus offers private tools for messaging, profile updates, and optional identity-sharing that allow the donor to connect or stay informed in ways that feel right to them.

6. Sibling Connections: A New Kind of Family

Donor-conceived children often have half-siblings—other children conceived with the same donor's eggs and/or sperm. For embryo donation, these children are most commonly full siblings to the donor's family. These types of unconventional connections can become deep, lifelong relationships filled with emotional resonance and shared identity.

EDC Nexus helps families:

• Identify sibling groups through verified matches
• Initiate contact when both sides consent
• Build healthy relationships over time

Whether these relationships begin in childhood or adulthood, the ability to connect safely through a moderated platform is invaluable.

7. Mental Health, Identity & Ongoing Conversations

The journey doesn't stop at birth. Families formed through gamete donation face unique emotional landscapes, including:

• Identity formation for the donor-conceived person
• Complex feelings for donors (especially as they have children of their own)
• Navigating disclosure and connection for intended parents

EDC Nexus is built to support healthy, ongoing dialogue around:

• Emotional boundaries
• Donor and sibling relationships
• Genetic identity
• Reproductive origins

By offering a structured, supportive space, the platform reduces emotional strain and helps all parties process their experiences in healthy, affirming ways.

8. Why Choose EDC Nexus?

In today's world, openness is not optional—it's essential. EDC Nexus offers a forward-thinking solution that:

• Protects privacy while enabling meaningful connection
• Supports long-term medical safety with ongoing health updates
• Facilitates sibling and donor contact with mutual consent
• Creates a trusted registry—free from social media noise or commercial bias
• Centers the wellbeing of donor-conceived individuals

Whether you're a donor seeking peace of mind, an intended parent preparing for future questions, or a donor-conceived persona navigating identity, EDC Nexus empowers you to connect, update, and communicate safely—on your terms.

9. Final Thoughts: Redefining What It Means to Be Family

All types of gamete donation don't merely represent a moment when a positive pregnancy occurs—it's a lifelong ripple effect. With the right support, that ripple can lead to clarity, connection, and compassion for everyone involved.

By embracing openness and supporting transparency, we give donor-conceived individuals the gift of knowledge, belonging, and health. And with the help of platforms like EDC Nexus, those gifts come with the safety and structure they deserve.

10. Want to Learn More?

Visit EDCNexus.com to:

• Join the donor registry as an Egg, Embryo, Sperm Donor EDC Nexus Donor brochure
• Join the registry as an Intended Parent or Donor-Conceived Person EDC Nexus Donor-conceived Family brochure
• Share or update medical history on a regular basis
• Connect with genetic family through the platform or outside of EDC Nexus
• Explore support resources available on www.eggdonorconnect.com

Together, let's change the future of gamete donation—one connection at a time.

Jenna Lake

Jenna Lake is co-founder of EDC Nexus, a unique registry developed to support Intended Parents, Egg Donors and Donor-Conceived Offspring — identified or de-identified — through a private online database providing medical updates and a mode of communication.

Jenna is the proud mother to a teenage, egg donor-conceived son. Her journey through third party reproduction directly launched a 15+ year career overseeing one of the largest clinic-led egg donor programs in the United States. After matching more than 3,000 cycles, and witnessing the ever-increasing demand for donor-conceived families to connect with their genetic and biological stories (and donors to stay informed of their contribution), Jenna helped to create a secure means of exchanging vital information and ensuring greater peace-of-mind on many fronts.

Currently, Jenna also serves as Operations Director at Egg Donor Connect. She is a past board member of Parents via Egg Donation, former consultant for a surrogate agency, and the author of several articles focusing on Egg Donors and Intended Parents. Jenna can be reached through her LinkedIn profile, or via email at jenna@eggdonorconnect.com.