Egg donor story
“Mama and Daddy wanted a baby so much. Mama's body didn't have an egg that could grow into a baby, so a kind woman gave us one of her tiny eggs. Then Ava grew in Mama's belly, and she kicked every time Grandpa sang.”
Donor conception and IVF story books
A donor conception story book starring your child.
If you've decided to tell, starting early with a simple story is one of the easiest ways to begin. Write your child's story in your own words: you wanted them so much, a kind person helped, and then they came. We turn it into an illustrated hardcover starring your family, and you review every word before it prints.
Free to preview. You only pay once you love it: $39 for one book, or $25/month.
Why a donor conception book works for little kids
Whether and how to tell is your family's decision. In the US, the ASRM Ethics Committee strongly encourages telling donor-conceived children (opens in a new tab) how they were conceived, while leaving the final choice with parents. The UK's fertility regulator, the HFEA, points to talking about origins in early childhood (opens in a new tab), and a story read aloud is an easy way to start. Your child grows up never remembering a time before they knew.
General donor conception books for children are a good start. One with your family's names, faces and real details tells your child's actual story, and fits single parents, two moms, two dads, egg donors, sperm donors, embryo donation and IVF alike.
Donor conception and IVF story ideas
Keep it short and simple for a toddler. You can make a fuller version as they grow. A paragraph or two is plenty.
Sperm donor story
“Mommy and Mama wanted a baby, and you need a tiny egg and a tiny sperm to make one. A kind man gave a tiny sperm. A doctor helped them come together, and that's how Noah came to our family.”
IVF story
“We tried for a long time to have a baby. Doctors helped by putting a tiny egg and a tiny sperm together in a special lab, and they grew into Leo. He was born on the rainiest day of the year.”
Two dads and a surrogate
“Daddy and Papa wanted a baby. A kind woman gave an egg, and our friend Sarah carried Mila in her belly until she was born. Each of them gets their own page so they don't blur together.”
How it works
- 01
Tell us the story
Add your family once, with photos if you have them. Then write the story in a paragraph or two, the way you'd tell it to a friend.
- 02
Preview every page
We write and illustrate a 12-page picture book in the art style you pick. Edit any line or redraw any picture before it prints.
- 03
A hardcover arrives
Approve it and we print a hardcover storybook and ship it free anywhere in the US.
Tips for a donor conception story book
- Use the body words you already use at home. Some families say 'egg' and 'sperm' from day one, and others say 'tiny seed.' Either works.
- Call the donor 'a kind woman,' 'a kind man,' 'our donor,' or a first name if it's a donor you know. Skip mom- or dad-words for the donor.
- Don't invent a personality or backstory for the donor, and don't promise a meeting unless it's true.
- Leave out the word 'secret,' and shelve the book with the regular bedtime books so the story feels ordinary.
One story on a shelf full of them
How they came to be is one of their stories, not the only one. Once your family is set up, every next book takes a paragraph: a birthday, a trip, or a made-up adventure they dream up.
Families who keep going get a new hardcover each month for $25. Skip a month or cancel whenever you like. Or just make this one book. That's fine too.
Donor conception and IVF book questions
What age should I start reading a donor conception book?
Many families start when their child is two or three, reading it like any other picture book. Guidance from the HFEA (opens in a new tab) points to early childhood, and in a long-running Cambridge study (opens in a new tab), none of the parents who told their child early said the child became distressed.
Does the donor appear in the pictures?
Only if you want. Most families describe the donor in words, like 'a kind woman,' without showing her. If your donor is someone you know and you'd like them pictured, add them to your family profile.
Does it work for single parents and LGBTQ+ families?
Yes. You write the story, so it fits your family: a single mom by choice, two moms, two dads with a surrogate, or any other way your family came together.
Can I see the book before I pay?
Yes. We write and illustrate the whole book first, and you review every page. You can edit any line or redraw any picture. You only pay once you approve it.
How much does a personalized book cost?
$39 for one hardcover book, with free US shipping and no subscription. Or $25 a month for a new book every month, if you want to keep going.
Can we make more books after this one?
Yes. Your family profile is saved, so the next book only takes a paragraph. It can be about any real memory or any adventure your kids make up. Order books one at a time for $39, or get a new one every month for $25. You can skip a month or cancel anytime.
Resources for parents
- Informing offspring of their conception by gamete or embryo donation (opens in a new tab)
The ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) Ethics Committee's opinion. It strongly encourages telling donor-conceived children how they were conceived, while leaving the final choice with parents.
- Talk to your child about their origins (opens in a new tab)
Guidance for parents from the HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority), the UK's fertility regulator, on when and how to tell a donor-conceived child.
- Finding out about your child's donor or donor-conceived siblings (opens in a new tab)
The HFEA on what information about the donor and genetic siblings families can get. It covers UK clinics; US clinics and donor banks have their own policies.
Guides for parents
- When To Tell Your Child They Were Conceived With an Egg Donor
Waited longer than you meant to? This first-talk plan covers the moment, the words, the reactions, and the week after, for parents of kids 5 to 8.
Give them their story, in words they can hold onto.
Free to preview. Hardcover books start at $25, shipped free in the US.
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