Embryo donation

While fertility treatment and assisted conception techniques help many couples conceive the baby they’ve dreamed of, sometimes couples are unable to conceive even with the help of medical intervention.
The main option if you’re in this situation is conception using a donated embryo.

As many as 12 embryos may be created during IVF treatment, but only two or three are likely to be used. Unused embryos are frozen for storage and can be preserved in this way for up to 10 years – couples often choose to store embryos because it means that if they decide to have another child the process of IVF will be less invasive if they’re using a prepared embryo.

Couples who’ve had successful IVF treatment may choose to donate these unused embryos to a childless couple. Transfer into the uterus is relatively simple: after a course of fertility drugs to prepare the uterus, one or more thawed embryos will be placed into it using a catheter inserted through your cervix. Around 12 days later you’ll have a blood test to check if you’re pregnant. Success rates are around 16-20 percent depending on your age and the number of embryos transferred.

Your fertility clinic will counsel you about using a donated embryo and you’ll be matched as closely as possible to several donors who share your cultural and religious background in order to increase the number of embryos available to you. Any embryos that are transferred will first be checked for infectious diseases and genetic abnormalities.

The process is generally less expensive than using IVF from scratch so it’s a good option for couples who can’t afford more expensive procedures. However, you need to consider the lower success rate. Freezing for long periods of time can affect the quality of an embryo, and even if you’re matched with a donor not all embryos survive thawing. As far as legalities are concerned, state laws differ. However, any couple donating embryos will have had to waive parental rights in advance, which means that you and your partner will be the legal parents once the embryo is transplanted.

See also sperm donation and egg donation.

If you’re considering this type of procedure, it might be helpful to chat to other moms about your feelings on this subject.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

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Last Modified: 03/05/2007

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