A study that took place over a period of two decades has found that donor-conceived offspring of lesbian parents grow up to be as well-adjusted as any other offspring.

The 21-year study tracked children who were conceived using anonymous donors, known donors, as well as open-identity donors (meaning contact is allowed when the child turns 18) through their early thirties. The results were recently published in Reproductive BioMedicine Online and found that when it comes to problem behaviors, “over 80% of offspring consistently scored within the normal range across all stages.”

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The study sought to determine whether donor type and level of contact with a donor affected behavioral outcomes for adult offspring of lesbian parents. While similar studies on donor-conceived offspring have concluded that donor conception does not contribute to poor mental health, the authors said none have focused exclusively on those who grew up with lesbian parents, nor have they parsed through various donor types.

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Results indicated that donor type did not affect mental health outcomes and that family stability is the key to reducing behavioral challenges.

“Findings underscore the psychological resilience of donor-conceived offspring of lesbian parents, irrespective of donor type or contact,” the study concluded. “This challenges assumptions about donor-related effects on adjustment, highlighting the importance of family relationships. Flexible, family-centered support and consideration of evolving genetic-linking technologies are recommended for policymakers and practitioners.”

The authors also said it’s important for parents to support their offspring’s exploration of their entire identity: “Finding sperm donors and donor siblings can significantly influence an individual’s sense of family and relatedness… For offspring with lesbian parents, traditional biological ties are no longer the sole defining element of kinship… This holistic approach to understanding family and identity formation is vital for ensuring the well-being of donor-conceived offspring.”

They also said the results of the study demonstrate “the resilience developed by this cohort and the adaptive strategies that lesbian-parent families developed to cope with the long history of stigmatization associated with their family structure.”

The authors concluded by urging policymakers to utilize the findings to support lesbian parents and their offspring at a time when LGBTQ+ families are “facing an unprecedented reactionary backlash” that risks “jeopardizing their overall well-being and adjustment in the years to come.”

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