The Many Paths to Parenthood

The Many Paths to Parenthood

From Knocked Up: The Podcast About Fertility and Women's Health by Women's Health Melbourne

March 15, 2026 · 23 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the various paths to parenthood, focusing on donor conception and the emotional and legal aspects involved.

What happens when the path to parenthood looks different from what you imagined? In this episode of Knocked Up , CREI fertility specialist Dr Raelia Lew explains donor conception and the extraordinary ways families can be created through donor sperm, donor eggs or donor embryos. We discuss who might consider donor conception, the emotional and legal considerations in Australia, and the careful screening and counselling that supports families along the way. Most importantly, we talk about what many hopeful parents worry about most: connection. As Dr Raelia explains, the bond between parent and child goes far beyond genetics, and for many families, donor conception becomes the beginning of a deeply loved and meaningful story. Find us on Instagram -  @knockeduppodcast Join our community! Follow Women's Health Melbourne on Facebook and Instagram ( @womenshealthmelbourne ), and follow Dr Raelia Lew on Instagram ( @drraelialew ). Have a question about women's health? Is there a specific topic you'd like us to cover? Email podcast@womenshealthmelbourne.com.au. We keep all requests anonymous. Women's Health Melbourne is a holistic care precinct, for more information about the work…

People in this episode

Hosts: Raelia Lew, Jordi Morrison

Guest: Dr Raelia Lew

Topics covered

  • donor conception
  • fertility
  • parenthood
  • emotional considerations
  • legal considerations

Keywords

  • family creation
  • connection
  • genetics
  • screening
  • counselling

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Many Paths to Parenthood, Knocked Up

Places: Australia

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