Contemplating Embryo Donation

As patients embark on their journey through IVF, they rarely think about having a surplus of embryos. Many couples are, however, fortunate to have excess embryos, which create the dilemma of what to do with them. Such patients wrestle with the emotionally-laden decision of what to do with their cryopreserved embryos. It’s a complex decision that is determined by personal experience, philosophy, religion, and social ethics. A solution for many patients could be to donate unutilized embryos to other infertile couples. It is a generous, life-affirming act that offers the opportunity for parenthood to others struggling with reproductive disorders. Giving the gift of life can also be a wonderful and fulfilling experience.

Before offering fertilized eggs to others, it’s critical that donors enter the process with a clear head. It is recommended that you, as a potential donor, seek advice from your doctor and/or counselor. If you are seriously considering donating your embryos to an infertile couple, this guide can help you understand the steps involved in donating anonymously.

What Is Embryo Donation?

When couples utilize IVF to conceive, the excess embryos are usually cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen for future use. The unutilized embryos can be donated to another couple, discarded or donated to medical research. Chances are that patients underwent screening for communicable diseases when they went through IVF. As Donors they will likely have to redo this testing prior to donating embryos. They will also need to sign and notarize an authorization for release of embryos to donate embryos to an infertile couple. Patients must understand that by choosing this option, they are waiving any right and relinquishing any claim to the embryos and any pregnancy and offspring that might result from it. They will also be required to complete a donor application. Note that donation may not culminate in a pregnancy for the recipient woman. The statistics for conceiving with frozen embryos may be lower than for a fresh IVF cycle.

Who Needs Donated Embryos?

Couples who utilize embryo donation do so if they have significant infertility issues such as both male and female infertility, are unable to adopt or cannot afford to, or have a family history of genetic disease where direct reproduction is not recommended.

How Are You Chosen?

The recipient couple chooses your embryos based on an anonymous abstract which has general information about your demographics (physical characteristics), genetics (family medical history), motives (why you are donating the embryos) and intentions (your personal wishes for the embryos). This information is important for the recipient’s obstetrician and pediatrician. There is usually no information shared between you and the recipient other than that which is divulged anonymously on the abstract. In rare cases, some couples desire a “directed donation,” where you are no longer an anonymous embryo donor. Reasons for this could be that the donors want to have knowledge of the potential child, or if the couples are related or know each other.

How Do Embryo Donation And Adoption Compare?

They are both different and similar. They are very different in the sense that the recipient gives birth to the child, which makes the child legally hers. With adoption, the legal transfer culminates after birth, as you cannot adopt a child before birth. Also, the donation is completely anonymous, so you will usually never know about the recipient. If there is a medical reason, for the health of the child, the recipient could attempt to acquire more medical information. Embryo donation is similar to adoption because you may wonder if your embryos ever did produce a child and its circumstances. Therefore, before embryo donation, you must weigh the impact that this will have on your life, your family, your children and the children born of the donation.

What Are The Health Regulations For This Procedure?

IVF screening is used on the male and female as the initial screen. When you decide to donate your embryos, you are re-screened, thereby having a quarantine effect. If you were negative with communicable disease testing prior to donating your embryos and you are still negative on re-screen, it should be safe for the recipient to use those embryos. The recipient will be advised of the potential communicable disease risk.

What Costs Are Incurred With Donating?

You will generally not incur any costs for donating your embryos. Transport and processing fees are generally covered. There is generally no charge for your re-screen blood work. Also, upon donation of your embryos, you cease paying any storage fees for those embryos.

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