Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
[STK]
[IN] HEA MTC
[SU] WOM
-- WITH PHOTO -- TO BUSINESS EDITORS:
Husband-and-Wife Authors of 'How We Became a Family' Release
Infographic in Honor of National Infertility Awareness Week
PHOENIX, April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Because of infertility
awareness and the advances of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
the number of donor conceived births are increasing worldwide. The
climate for openness on this topic has also been increasing with the
number of support groups and networks for parents and their children
(i.e. RESOLVE.org and Donor Sibling Registry, and Donor Conception
Network UK). Parents of donor conceived children are not alone.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140408/PH00160-INFO-a
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140408/PH00160-INFO-b
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) approximately 12% of
fertility patients use donor eggs and embryos. And an estimated
30,000-60,000 children born in this country via artificial
insemination are from donor sperm. Those are only two of the findings
included in a new infographic published by children's book authors
Teresa and Bernard Villegas MD on their HowWeBecameaFamily website and
blog today.
This infographic advocates the importance for parents to tell their
donor conceived children about their unique beginnings. Parents who
used an egg donor, or a sperm donor go through quite a different
process in order to conceive, but are similar in that one of the
child's parents is not genetically related. This is where the crux of
disclosure becomes important. Factual genetic information is something
you want your child(ren) to be aware of. Not just for a physical and
medical awareness, but also as an opportunity for parents to present
"honesty and trust" early on as the foundation of their own family
culture," say the Villegas.
When a child is conceived this way, parents must decide whether to
tell their child or keep this information private. This may be a
difficult choice to make for various reasons and sometimes parents do
not know where to begin. Parents may ask "why" and "how" and "when?"
At first, the thought of telling your child about their donor origins
may seem like a difficult topic to broach, but it doesn't have to be.
"In our experience raising our own donor conceived children, along
with research, data and inquiry from professional family psychologists
have all concluded, that telling your child about their genetic
origins at an early age, is best for the child, " say the Villegas.
"That is what inspired us to write and illustrate our own children's
book 'How We Became a Family' (for ages 2-10). We wanted to write a
book that we could read to our children that included the facts of
nature, science, the help of a donor and the possibility of a multiple
birth. We want to help other parents like us, to struggle less, and to
be at ease with telling their child early on, one step at a time. Our
children's book 'How We Became a Family' is a tool that helps parents
begin the process of telling in an easy way."
CONTACT: Teresa Villegas, Email, (602) 790-4009
Read more news from Teresa and Bernard Villegas.
SOURCE Teresa and Bernard Villegas
-0- 04/08/2014
/Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140408/PH00160-INFO-a
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140408/PH00160-INFO-b
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
/Web Site: http://howwebecameafamily.com
CO: Teresa and Bernard Villegas
ST: Arizona
IN: HEA MTC
SU: WOM
PRN
-- PH00160 --
0000 04/08/2014 12:45:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
