Counselling during assisted reproductive technology procedures

Licensed fertility providers must ensure that counselling costs are included in the cost of treatment.

Counselling fees may be directed towards a counsellor outside the practice, where this is arranged between participant and licensee.

Cost of counselling for donors is generally met by the donation recipients.

If using a donor from interstate or overseas, counselling is still required.  The qualifications and role of the counsellor should be equivalent to what is required in Western Australia.

Unknown donation

• Sperm, egg or embryo donors who are unknown to the recipient must undertake counselling.
• Counselling is required to include:
  • Why the donor wishes to be involved in donor assisted conception;
  • Potential long-term psycho-social impacts of donation and significance of biological connection for all involved parties;
  • The rights of donor conceived people to obtain identifying information on their donor; and
  • The possibility that a donor conceived person may attempt to contact their donor after they reach 16 years of age.
• Licensed fertility providers must ensure that potential donors are provided with information about approved counsellors.

Known donation

• Where donor and recipient know each other, the donor and recipient (and any spouse or de facto partner of the donor and recipient) must undertake counselling.
• Approval from the Reproductive Technology Council (external site) is required to undertake a different form of psychosocial preparation prior to the donation.
• Counselling should be provided before any medical assessment of participants.
• Counselling is required to include:
  • Why the donor wishes to be involved in donor assisted conception;
  • Potential long-term psycho-social impacts of donation and significance of biological connection for all involved parties;
  • The rights of donor conceived people to obtain identifying information on their donor; and
  • The possibility that a donor conceived person may attempt to contact their donor after they reach 16 years of age.
• Initial counselling should include:
  • at least 3 hours across 3 sessions; and
  • recipient and donor (plus spouses/de factor partners) being seen separately and then together.
• After counselling there will be a cooling off period of 3 months prior to the donation:
  • After the cooling off period, participants and donors should have contact with the counsellor to confirm if they are willing to proceed.
  • Counsellors should also be involved if the donation does not proceed.
• Cost of counselling will generally be borne by recipients.

It is important the counsellors have appropriate training and expertise in assisting participants in their decision on whether to consent to an assisted reproductive technology procedure.

Counsellors:

• must be eligible for full membership of the Australian and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association (ANZICA);
• are not involved with assessing suitability for treatment;
• cannot be one of the people who are performing a procedure; and
• must be an integral part of the clinic team of a licensed fertility provider.