When it comes to professional development in genetics and reproductive health, most seasoned genetic counselors have their go-to conferences: NSGC, ACMG, ASHG, ASRM. One you may not have heard of, however, is the Jones Foundation Infertility Counseling Conference (JFICC). It was created in 2012 to fill a crucial gap in high-quality mental health education for professionals working in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). It is a chasm many reproductive genetic counselors often find themselves starting into.  

The conference brings leaders in law, mental health and genetics together with donors and donor-conceived people (DCP) to foster collaboration with the goal of better serving all in the field. It has evolved into an annual event that aims to help attendees better understand the complex emotional, ethical and legal issues surrounding fertility care.

I feel that conferences serve not only to spread knowledge on what has been learned but also to inspire people to figure out what still can be. It was during the second talk that I moved from trying to capture every point being discussed to focusing on the questions that a few inspired. For example:

Legally Speaking: Updates on The Unsettled and Unsettling State of IVF And ART Law Across The US

In this session, Susan L. Crockin, JD, conference co-director, raised awareness of legal issues related to ART, from the post-Dobbs fallout to an Alabama court ruling that equates IVF embryos with living children. This session was a critical reminder of how entwined the profession of genetic counseling is with the law and the risk of lacking a firm understanding of changing legislation and left me asking:

Question 1: How can genetic counselors stay abreast of state and federal laws on IVF, genetic screening and testing options, and pregnancy termination and protect themselves from legal action now and in the future? (HINT: Check out the Legally Speaking column through ASRM)

Question 2: What does reproductive genetic counseling in restrictive states look like when changing the course of one’s pregnancy is no longer an option – will genetic screening options including carrier screening cease to exist? Will reproductive genetic counselors? 

Report on The ASRM Taskforce on the "Needs and Interests of Donor-Conceived People": Process, Findings, Recommendations and Where Do We Go from Here

In this session, Lauri Pasch, PhD, provided insight into the work of the newly formed ASRM taskforce, which included physicians, mental health providers, legal advisors, genetic counselors, donors, recipient parents and DCPs. The talk reviewed the group’s findings and recommendations, aiming to better support DCP and their families in the future. 

My follow-up questions:

Question 1: How do we construct practice guidelines for medical updates at gamete banks?

Question 2: Will other states adopt procedures and protections akin to those in Colorado, and if so, will there be a central regulatory system to simplify discordant processes?

Patient Panel —Sperm Donors' Experience Informing Ethical Considerations and Best Practices for Psychological Evaluations and Consultation

What happens when sperm donors speak candidly about their experiences? The answer is 90-plus minutes of insight that made the audience laugh, cry and appreciate the enlightening and emotional personal journeys of those on this panel. Their stories raised critical ethical considerations, highlighting where mental health screening and genetic counseling practices could be improved for donors moving forward and how to best address the following:

Question 1: Groups currently exist for recipients and DCPs who share a given donor; what needs do donors have that could be met by such groups?

Question 2: How do donors feel about the growing size of carrier screening panels and the potential impact of manifesting carrier conditions? And are they open to proactive genetic testing panels for autosomal dominant conditions?

The field of reproductive genetic counseling has never been for the faint of heart. It has always tried to put the patient first in an arena made up of a series of slippery slopes. And now, more than ever, it requires us to continue to ask the questions and seek the answers.

This conference has changed how I approach my position in a gamete bank. I have adopted a more comprehensive role, involving myself in our legal and DCP branches to move the needle on expanding resources for donors, recipients and DCPs. In addition, in a world as small as genetic counseling, and in a specialty as niche as gamete banking, I am actively working with others in the field to conduct research and construct guidelines to optimize client, donor and DCP care. Are you interested in being one of them?

For information on the 2026 JFICC, visit https://jficc.org/

For information and resources for DCPs, visit https://donorconceivedcommunity.org/

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