A mum has shared her dilemma about breaking the news to her daughter that her biological dad is a sperm donor - or whether to still keep it from her.
The anonymous woman says her daughter Lizzie* was conceived through IVF after her ex-husband experienced fertility issues.
She and Richard* chose not to reveal the truth to their little girl and said they would wait to explain how she came into the world once she was old enough to understand.
However as the years have gone on, she says Richard didn't want to break the news, which divided a wedge between them and ultimately contributed to their divorce.
Now their child is a teen at the age of 13, the mum says the truth has become an 'elephant in the room' as she shares a close bond with her daughter.
"It became the elephant in the bedroom in which I kissed my daughter goodnight, a sting in my conscience, felt even more keenly now as changes to fertility laws are about to kick into action," she revealed to MailOnline.
Back in 2005, the law changed in the UK to give donor-conceived children the right to find out who their donors are when they turn 18.
Just last month, those first children who were born when the act came into force are now old enough to make the life-changing search.
But with more women having children later in life and with more advances in science, there are now more parents than ever facing the difficult decision of what to tell their children about how they were conceived.
The number of children born from donor sperm more than tripled in 2019 - from under 900 in 2006 to over 2,800, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).
The mum worries about Lizzie wanting answers to her ancestry in the next few years and the fact she could order a DNA test online.
While there is no legal duty for her to inform Lizzie about the donor, she is battling with her 'moral obligation' and being on the same page as her ex.
But having her find out from someone else other than them would "break her heart" - and plans to tell Lizzie in the next two years.
The woman met her husband at a party in 2004 before marrying him three years later.
At the height of her career, she was in no rush to start a family. But as Richard is eight years older, he pushed for them to settle down.
However, six months after tying the knot, Richard was told by his GP that he had low sperm motility, which meant he might not be able to have children.
Their marriage took a turn for the worst, with constant bickering.
He asked if they could use a sperm donor and the woman agreed, thinking a baby would save their relationship.
However, she says Richard wanted to keep it private and considered his infertility issue as 'emasculating'.
They eventually became pregnant after three cycles of fertility treatment and gave birth via a traumatic C-section.
The mum-of-one remembers signing the paperwork and at the time thought it was a no-brainer that they would tell their child about the IVF.
After years of being silenced by her ex, the burden has become too much to bear.
A few years back she emailed him asking when they should bring it up to Lizzie, but claims he never responded.
Now, faced with either upsetting her ex or the prospect of having a disappointed daughter who wished she had told her sooner, she is planning on informing her before she reaches 18.
The mum believes her daughter will be intrigued enough to want to meet the donor, which will devastate her legal father.
She added: "I'm sure there are many parents in the same boat who have, like me, rehearsed how they might break this news countless times.
"I hope she'll understand but I worry she'll never see her childhood in the same way again."
*Names have been changed.
