For couples who have been unable to have a child through other methods, embryo donation offers an alternative for building a family. Whether you choose to use an embryo from a couple you know or an anonymous donor, the experts at the Fertility & Reproductive Medicine Center are here to help you navigate the donation process.
Using Donated Embryos: What to Consider
The journey to become pregnant using donor embryos can be a long and emotional one. Our specialists are at your side every step of the way and help you decide if donor embryos are the right solution for you and your family. That process will include:
- Selecting an embryo donor: You may use an anonymous donor or embryos from a couple you know. If you work with a donor you know, both couples should work out details in advance about legal questions such as future contact with any children who result from the embryo donation. The donor and recipient couples will also go through thorough medical testing. If available, you may choose to select multiple embryos from the same donor to use in future pregnancy attempts.
- Completing psychological counseling: Before deciding to use donated embryos, it’s important to make sure that both you and your partner are comfortable with the idea of having a nonbiological child (not genetically related to you). We require both the donor and recipient couples to meet with one of our reproductive counselors before making this decision.
- Understanding your chances of success: Donated embryos are the result of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. A successful pregnancy depends on the age of the woman whose eggs created the embryos, the quality of the embryos and your own health and ability to become pregnant.
Donating Your Embryos
If you have embryos remaining from a previous IVF cycle, you may want to donate them to another couple struggling with infertility. If you would like to explore this option, talk to your fertility specialist about any medical testing you and your partner need to qualify for donation.
Contact Us
To make an appointment with a Washington University fertility and reproductive medicine specialist at the Women & Infants Center, call 855.925.0631.