Neurodivergent gamete donors should not be automatically excluded

Many fertility clinics and gamete banks exclude candidate donors who are neurodivergent or have a family history of neurodivergence. Neurodivergence refers to a form of neurocognitive functioning that diverges from neurotypical or socially dominant norms, such as autism, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and dyslexia. 

Guidelines from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine explicitly state that candidate donors with a personal history or a first-degree relative with autism should be excluded; while ADHD should be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no general European directive regarding this matter, so the decision is up to clinics and gamete banks. In 2016, the UK's largest sperm bank rejected candidate donors based on neurodivergence (see BioNews 834).

The exclusion of neurodivergence in donor conception can also extend to practices after donation. When a donor-conceived child is neurodivergent, the further use of those donor gametes is sometimes restricted. This is in line with the policy of some clinics to restrict the further use of donor gametes following new genetic (risk) information. According to our Belgian study, about 13 suspected or...