Connected DNA: Interview Data, 2022-2023

This collection consists of of 33 transcribed interviews with people directly affected by donor conception, gamete donors, donor-conceived people, and parents who used donor conception, focused on their experiences of direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTCGT).

Rapid growth in online DNA testing platforms has created new ways for individuals to search for, discover, and contact genetic relatives, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unexpectedly. For those connected through donor conception, these technologies can operate alongside, or bypass, official information channels, raising practical, emotional, and ethical questions about identity, family relationships, privacy, and consent.

The interviews were generated as part of the ConnecteDNA project, which examines how people involved in donor conception use and are impacted by online DNA testing and what this means for support, policy, and regulation.

The collection documents participants’ donor conception backgrounds and prior approaches to managing information; motivations for using (or being affected by) DNA testing; experiences of sign-up and consent; reactions to results; interpretation and disclosure decisions; and the development of contact practices and “etiquette” with newly identified donor relatives. It also captures wider impacts on family dynamics, wellbeing, and sense of identity, as well as participants’ reflections on risks and benefits, desired forms of support, and views on governance—including how donor conception systems and DTCGT companies should adapt as genetic matching becomes increasingly common.

Overall, the collection provides rich qualitative evidence on how emerging consumer genetics reshapes kinship and information management in donor conception, and it can inform guidance, resources, and recommendations for stakeholders, policymakers, and affected communities.