Reacción a "Reactions: 20-year study of the psychological well-being of children born through third-party assisted reproduction"

The study is of good quality and represents the seventh and final stage of a twenty-year longitudinal study of dozens of families who have had children through assisted reproduction with non-self gametes, whether donated sperm, donated eggs or surrogacy.

All mothers and, where ethically possible, also the children, have been followed for two decades and interviewed periodically to identify their level of psychological adjustment on a personal level and the relationship between mothers and children. The results are very encouraging, as these children, now young adults, are in a very positive situation in relation to themselves, their mothers and their families.

It was feared, and is sometimes still feared, that children born through assisted reproduction techniques who do not have a genetic link to their parents may have psychological disorders similar to those known in adopted children. This study, and the others in the same series, tell us that this fear has no basis in the real data and that, despite sharing with adopted children the lack of genetic connection with the parents, their adjustment is positive and similar to that of children from families who conceive without resorting to assisted reproduction treatments.

It is a study that provides reassurance for families [resorting to assisted reproduction] and that may help in the decision making process for couples facing the specific doubts and concerns involved in resorting to assisted reproduction treatment with gametes from donation.