Donors give the gift of parenthood to Intended Parents.
The donor process may feel complex at first, but as I have had first-hand experience, I provide a hands-on, comprehensive, and empathetic approach, making sure you are informed and relaxed every step of the way.
What is Egg Donation?
Egg donation is when a woman provides eggs (ova, oocytes) to another person or couple for the purposes of assisted reproduction, so that the recipient of the eggs can have a baby of their own. Once the eggs are retrieved, they are fertilized through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and then implanted into the uterus of the Intended Mother or Surrogate. Intended Parents can also choose to use a sperm donor they know, such as a friend.
There is anonymous egg donation (no one knows either party), semi-open donation (first names are disclosed), or open donation (full identity is disclosed). With technology advancements like 23andme and AncestryDNA, this can become very complicated and must be discussed with an attorney.
Sperm donation is when a man provides his sperm to another person or couple to help conceive a child. Sperm donors can either be found through a sperm bank or an agency, which offer the Intended Parents a wide array of sperm donors to choose from based on different races, ages, educational backgrounds and physical features. Intended Parents can also choose to use a sperm donor they know, such as a friend.
Could my child ever meet their Donor?
This is a possibility, but completely depends on what the Intended Parents and the Donor agree to during the matching and legal phase. The legal agreement will reflect the wishes and understanding made between the Intended Parents and the Donor.
Intended parents must make sure to choose a trusted third-party fertility agency or medical clinic that operates at the highest standards – and this information is not always readily available to the public. Also, fertility lawyers are needed to draft the legal agreement between the Intended Parents and the Donor before any medical procedures take place. This ensures ownership of the eggs or sperm belong to the Intended Parents, and not the donor.
Communicate with the agency and the donor’s attorney
Draft and negotiate donor agreements to establish the intent, rights, and obligations of the Intended Parents and Donor
Specify the Intended Parents’ legal control over retrieved eggs and embryos
Agreement on specific policies such as timelines for medical procedures, travel expenses, donor reimbursements, complications insurance, cancelled cycles, future contact, etc.
Escrow services to hold donor compensation
Approximately 400,000 embryos are frozen (cryopreserved) in United States fertility clinics. When Intended Parents have completed their families, some parents choose to donate their remaining embryos to another person or couple for the purpose of having their own family.
Using donor embryos, as opposed to a sperm or egg donor, eliminates the imbalance between parents when only one member of a couple loses the genetic connection to their children.
Embryo donation can be less expensive than egg donation
As the embryo is already created, it reduces the amount of steps in the process, therefore having the potential of speeding up the process of falling pregnant.
Embryo Donation is cheaper than IVF
The overall cost for a cycle of embryo donation ranges from $2,500 to $8,000. This includes reimbursement for the donor couple’s screening expenses as well as charges incurred with storing the embryo or transferring it to the clinic. These figures don’t include psychological counseling or legal fees. In comparison, the average price of an IVF cycle in the United States is $20,000.
Embryo donation raises several legal questions for everyone involved in the donation. All parties should seek separate, independent legal representation to draft an agreement addressing the issues surrounding embryo donation:
Donors’ relinquishment of rights to the embryos
Parties’ respective rights and obligations towards one another
Future contact with child
Future disposition options
Terms of reimbursement
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