The Art of Building a Family: Portraits of Families built with 3rd Party Conception

is a book that normalises and honours families built by 3rd party reproduction. Parents share their experiences in coming to terms with infertility and accepting the help of others to start a family. They also describe how they manage disclosure about their family with a difference. Donor conceived offspring write about their perspectives and show that they have quite succinct views about what defines their family. Donors and surrogates give insight into their contributions and how they view themselves in relation to the families they have helped to create.
All portraits are unique and individual. At the same time, they capture typical concerns that couples and individuals have when they first consider 3rd party reproduction, the “shift of mind set” once they have decided to go forward and the pride and happiness when they have a child. This happiness is also expressed by those who have helped: the donors and surrogates. Finally embedded within all portraits is a central notion that having a family is important – and on that all agree!