Episode 12: Sperm Donor vs Biological Father — Recommended Terminology to Use

In this episode, we focus on the language used in the infertility and donor conception space—specifically the difference between terms like “sperm donor,” “biological father,” and “dad.”After receiving a diagnosis of non-obstructive azoospermia, we’ve had to navigate conversations that go beyond medical decisions and into how we actually talk about family, identity, and roles.This episode is a straightforward discussion on:What different terms actually meanWhy wording matters in the infertility spaceHow terms like biological dad vs father vs donor are usedThe implications of each term for parents and future childrenWhere language can be misleading or overly simplifiedWe also touch on how terminology varies depending on:Medical contextLegal definitionsPersonal preferenceCultural and social perspectivesIf you’re navigating male infertility, azoospermia, or donor conception, this episode gives a clear breakdown of the terminology you’re likely to encounter.Resources: 1. Donor-Conceived People’s Experiences of Identity and Relatednesshttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/13691058.2017.13491802. Relationality in Donor Conception: How Parents and Children Talk About Donorshttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8289314/3. Donor vs Dad: Untangling Language, Identity, and the Meaning of Parenthoodhttps://www.seattlespermbank.com/donor-vs-dad-untangling-language-identity-and-the-meaning-of-parenthood/4. Assisted Reproduction Kids Grow Up Just Fine—But It May Be Better to Tell Them Earlyhttps://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/assisted-reproduction-kids-grow-up-just-fine-but-it-may-be-better-to-tell-them-early-about5. We Are Donor Conceived – 2020 Survey Resultshttps://www.wearedonorconceived.com/2020-survey-top/2020-we-are-donor-conceived-survey/