Donation registers, treatment registers and access to information about assisted reproductive technology procedures

Licensed fertility providers must provide the Department of Health with treatment information for inclusion on the Department of Health Reproductive Technology Treatment Registers.

Treatment information includes:

• treatment cycle type and dates;
• clinic details;
• non-identifying information on parents;
• medical reasons for use of assisted reproductive technology;
• whether a treatment cycle:
  • was part of a planned surrogacy arrangement;
  • had a fertility preservation purpose;
  • used donor gametes (sperm or eggs) or embryos;
• whether pre-implantation genetic testing was performed on embryos;
• whether intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was used in fertilisation;
• treatment cycle outcomes and non-identifying information on any babies born;
• if any related adverse events occurred as a result of treatment.

Licensed fertility providers must provide the Department of Health with donor information for inclusion on the Reproductive Technology Treatment Registers.

Data collection in the Reproductive Technology Treatment Registers was not mandatory until 1993. 

Prior to 1993 there may be limited records or records may no longer exist.

From 2004, donor conceived persons (conceived on or after 1 December 2004) have the legislated right to access identifying information about their donors once they reach 16 years of age.

Donor conceived person

Persons conceived by donor conception on or after 1 December 2004 have a right to access identifying information about their donor once they reach 16 years of age.

The donor conceived person must undertake counselling prior to the release of information.

A donor conceived person who has reached 16 years of age can consent to sharing identifying information with a donor.

Parents of donor conceived person

Where a donor conceived person is under 16 years of age, parents may consent to sharing identifying information with a donor.

In this situation both the donor and the parents must consent. 

Once a donor conceived person reaches 18 years of age a parent does not have a right to access identifying information about a donor.

Donor siblings

Persons conceived by donor conception do not have an legislated right to access identifying information about any donor siblings. 

Donors

Donors may access non-identifying information contained in the Department of Health Reproductive Technology Treatment Registers. 

Identifying information may be released where there is consent from all parties.

Parties must undertake counselling before information is released.

A donor conceived person conceived before 1 December 2004 does not have the legislated right to access identifying information about their donor.

Non-identifying information held in the Reproductive Technology Treatment Registers can be provided and identifying information can be shared on a voluntary basis where there is consent of all parties.

The Reproductive Technology Registers contain information from 1993 onwards. Prior to 1993, clinics may be able to provide non-identifying information about number of families created, the number of children born, their gender and year of birth.

Access to the information is available to donor conceived people who are 18 years or older, parents of donor conceived children (less than 18 years), sperm, egg or embryo donors.

The Reproductive Technology Register (for donor conceived people who were conceived from 1 December 2004 onwards) includes identifying information about participants, their partners, surrogates or donors including:

• names
• dates of birth
• sex
• place of birth.

The Reproductive Technology Register (1993 onwards) includes non-identifying information about donors including:

• sex
• hair colour
• eye colour
• complexion
• build
• height
• marital status
• occupation
• education
• interests
• religion
• place of birth
• a description of genetic and/or cultural heritage received from the donor’s grandparents
• personal health history
• family health history
• blood group and rhesus factor
• number and sex of children not born as a result of donation
• reason for participation
• personal statement for recipients or child/ren resulting from donation.

Donor conceived person born on or after 1 December 2004

Donor conceived person completes an Application for Donor Information form (PDF 212 KB).  The application and a copy of identification documents are sent to the Reproductive Technology Unit (RTU).

Applicants will be contacted to arrange a free counselling session. Counselling can be provided in person or via tele-health.

There are some circumstances where identifying information may not be available in the Register.  In the case that identifying information is unavailable the donor conceived person will be advised at this time.

Once the counselling session has been completed, a Donor Identifying Information Report is prepared for release. The Donor Identifying Information Report is sent to the applicant via Registered Post or secure email.

Donor conceived person conceived before 1 December 2004

Donor conceived persons who were conceived before 1 December 2004 may access non-identifying information contained in the WA Health Reproductive Technology Registers or from clinics where treatment took place.