Fertility specialists are constantly looking for ways to improve your chance of getting pregnant through IVF or other assisted reproductive techniques (ART) to have a baby. In the last few years a number of so called ‘add-ons’, or ‘adjuvant’ therapies, have been offered by IVF clinics.

Researchers at the University of Western Australia are investigating the reasons why people choose to tell or not tell members of their family and wider social network about their involvement in donor conception and are seeking participants in their study. Who can participate? Anyone who has participated in any type of donor conception programme (current or past):

Life circumstances, including not having a partner, can prevent women from having children during their most fertile years.

Over the last few decades many thousands of people have been born as a result of donor sperm or eggs in Victoria.

Interpreting IVF clinic success rates in context

The supply of sperm donors in Victoria has dropped by 23 per cent over the past financial year, according to the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority's (VARTA's) Annual Report 2014. There were only 343 sperm donors at the start of 2013-14 compared to 445 in the previous year.

Legislation giving Victorians conceived through donor sperm donated before 1988 the right to access identifying information about their donors with their donor's consent passed on 21 August 2014 and took effect from 29 June 2015.

At least half of the donors who had donated anonymously were in favour of their offspring being able to know their identity. Shutterstock

VARTA nominates for Victorian Minister for Health Volunteer Awards VARTA has submitted two nominations to the Victorian Minister for Health Volunteer Awards to acknowledge the significant contribution made by a number of donor-conceived people and donors who have given countless hours to help promote public understanding of donor conception.

VARTA's quartery newsletter helping you stay up to date with all that is happening at VARTA