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An ’80s Sperm Donor. A Fertility Specialist. A Sitting Senator.
What happens when a sperm donor and his donor-conceived child find each other decades later?
In this episode of Fertility Café, Eloise Drane sits down with reproductive medicine physician Dr. Danny Shapiro and Georgia state legislator Josh McLaurin for a conversation that is equal parts fascinating, deeply personal, and profoundly important for the future of donor conception.
Dr. Shapiro donated sperm as a medical student at Emory in the 1980s, never expecting to one day come face to face with the result. Josh McLaurin didn't find out he was donor-conceived until he was 31 years old, a revelation that sent him on a journey of self-discovery that ultimately led him straight to his biological father's 23andMe profile. The twist? Danny was already Josh's elected state representative.
This conversation goes far beyond one family's story. It unpacks the psychology of disclosure, the case for open donation, the evolving landscape of donor-conceived rights, and what it truly means to find yourself through your DNA.
If you have ever wondered what happens after the match is made...
If you are a donor, a donor-conceived person, or a recipient parent navigating disclosure...
If you believe the fertility industry needs to evolve alongside the families it creates...
This episode is for you.
You'll Learn
About Our Guests
Dr. Danny Shapiro is a reproductive endocrinologist and one of the founders of My Egg Bank, now the largest network of frozen donor egg banks in the United States. He has spent decades helping individuals and couples build families through assisted reproduction, and since connecting with Josh in 2019, has become an advocate for open donation and greater transparency in the fertility field.
Senator Josh McLaurin was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2022 and serves Georgia's 14th Senate District, covering portions of north Fulton County including Sandy Springs, Roswell, Johns Creek, Atlanta, and Alpharetta. Previously, he served four years in the Georgia House of Representatives. A Double-Dawg graduate of UGA, he received his law degree from Yale and has built a legal practice focused on business litigation and aviation law. He grew up in Cobb County, discovered he was donor-conceived at age 31, and located Dr. Shapiro through 23andMe, only to realize Danny had been his own elected representative all along. Josh is now an advocate for donor-conceived rights and the policy changes needed to support them.
Resources & Links
Dr. Danny Shapiro
Senator Josh McLaurin
Fertility Café
Additional Resources
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By Eloise Drane
5
2121 ratings
What happens when a sperm donor and his donor-conceived child find each other decades later?
In this episode of Fertility Café, Eloise Drane sits down with reproductive medicine physician Dr. Danny Shapiro and Georgia state legislator Josh McLaurin for a conversation that is equal parts fascinating, deeply personal, and profoundly important for the future of donor conception.
Dr. Shapiro donated sperm as a medical student at Emory in the 1980s, never expecting to one day come face to face with the result. Josh McLaurin didn't find out he was donor-conceived until he was 31 years old, a revelation that sent him on a journey of self-discovery that ultimately led him straight to his biological father's 23andMe profile. The twist? Danny was already Josh's elected state representative.
This conversation goes far beyond one family's story. It unpacks the psychology of disclosure, the case for open donation, the evolving landscape of donor-conceived rights, and what it truly means to find yourself through your DNA.
If you have ever wondered what happens after the match is made...
If you are a donor, a donor-conceived person, or a recipient parent navigating disclosure...
If you believe the fertility industry needs to evolve alongside the families it creates...
This episode is for you.
You'll Learn
About Our Guests
Dr. Danny Shapiro is a reproductive endocrinologist and one of the founders of My Egg Bank, now the largest network of frozen donor egg banks in the United States. He has spent decades helping individuals and couples build families through assisted reproduction, and since connecting with Josh in 2019, has become an advocate for open donation and greater transparency in the fertility field.
Senator Josh McLaurin was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2022 and serves Georgia's 14th Senate District, covering portions of north Fulton County including Sandy Springs, Roswell, Johns Creek, Atlanta, and Alpharetta. Previously, he served four years in the Georgia House of Representatives. A Double-Dawg graduate of UGA, he received his law degree from Yale and has built a legal practice focused on business litigation and aviation law. He grew up in Cobb County, discovered he was donor-conceived at age 31, and located Dr. Shapiro through 23andMe, only to realize Danny had been his own elected representative all along. Josh is now an advocate for donor-conceived rights and the policy changes needed to support them.
Resources & Links
Dr. Danny Shapiro
Senator Josh McLaurin
Fertility Café
Additional Resources
Related Episodes
Ep 134 – The Truth About Birth Control, Ovulation, and Your Hormones with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
A deep dive into the menstrual cycle as a vital sign, fertility awareness education, and what hormonal birth control really does to the body.
Ep 126 – What Your OBGYN Isn't Telling You
A candid conversation about the gaps in reproductive health education and why so many women leave appointments without real answers.
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