The gift of life for infertile couples
For some couples and individuals, donor embryos may give them a better chance of having a family than using donor sperm or eggs. Our embryo donor program has helped many couples achieve pregnancy – couples who may have tried other fertility treatment programs without success.
If you’ve had IVF treatment but now feel your family is complete, you can choose to donate your remaining embryos to someone else, either directly to someone you know, or through us. This is often preferred to disposing of embryos, but it’s a decision that requires thought and consideration, and we’re here to help you choose what’s best for you.
As an embryo donor, you must also:
- have counselling with one of our counsellors
- complete a series of blood tests
- complete a comprehensive social, physical and medical profile
- sign a lifestyle declaration
- sign a consent form, which states you agree to future identification when and if a child born from your embryo turns 18 and requests details of your identity.
Your identity is not revealed to the recipients of any embryos you choose to donate, unless the recipients are already known to you.
Using a donor embryo
Babies born to couples using donor embryos as part of their fertility program with Queensland Fertility Group are genuine gifts of life for couples who may have tried other options without success.
Embryos are donated as a Frozen Embryo Transfer, a simple procedure that does not need an anaesthetic. The timing is arranged by your Fertility Specialist as part of a natural cycle, or in a hormone replacement cycle.
We offer a complete, professional and supportive Donor Embryo Program for such couples.
Can an embryo donation help me?
If other fertility treatments have been unsuccessful (or are unlikely to succeed, for reasons identified during treatment or investigation), one of our fertility specialists may suggest using a donor embryo.
Following an initial counselling session with one of our donation coordinators, we can put you on our donor embryo registration list. We then ask you to get in touch every six months to confirm you wish to remain on the recipient register.
When embryos are available, the program nurse will contact you for an appointment with one of our psychologists to discuss the social, legal and emotional implications of being a recipient of donor embryos. You are given non-identifying information and time to decide whether you wish to proceed. We also ask you to sign a consent form and your specialist will organise screening blood tests. If you accept the offer, the embryos will be allocated to you and treatment may commence.
Alternatively, if you have a known donor, treatment can begin straight away once we have completed the relevant screening and testing process.
To find out more about our donor embryo program, talk to your QFG doctor, or get in touch with the Queensland Fertility Group Donor Embryo Program coordinators on 1800 111 483 (IVF).
