ABSTRACT
The task that genealogists set themselves is to search for family members, past and present. In this chapter we discuss the impact of being part of a family formed through adoption or assisted reproductive technologies including in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), egg and sperm donation and surrogacy. We examine the situation in which individuals who are aware of their adoption or artificial conception actively search for their ‘missing’ biological relative or relatives – particularly a parent. Inter-country adoption is examined briefly, as are changes in the law, especially around donor conception and surrogacy. Finally, we address the fact that DNA testing has made it possible to find connections that may not have been admitted to (such as a parent) or placed on public record. These occur with surprising frequency, often shocking people who discover they are not who they think they are, leading them to readjust their sense of identity.
