Donor Services

Hearing that you may need donor eggs to get pregnant may cause a wide range of emotions for you and your partner. But you’re not alone — many people are in the same situation for various reasons, and our compassionate fertility experts are dedicated to making your family planning goals a reality. Some of the many situations women may face that may necessitate a donor egg include:

• Age-related infertility: As egg quality begins to drop, the chance to ovulate successfully each month also decreases. As women move toward menopause, some monthly cycles may not result in the release of an egg for fertilization. Along with a decrease in the quantity of eggs available, there is also an increased risk of miscarriage and chromosome mutations.
• Inheritable genetic diseases and known genetic illness: A woman who carries a known genetic mutation or genetically linked disease, such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, spinal muscular atrophy, Tay-Sachs disease, thalassemia and other single gene defects, may choose to turn to a donor oocyte to avoid passing the condition on to her baby.
• Premature ovarian insufficiency Some women’s ovaries stop working as they should before age 40, with estrogen levels and egg releases not functioning as needed to get pregnant.
• Women with a history of unsuccessful IVF cycles: Being unable to produce eggs and ovulate while on fertility medications may also indicate that a donor egg cycle is the best option.

If a low sperm count is preventing you and your partner from conceiving, donor sperm may be an option to consider. Donor sperm has opened the doors for many families who previously were unable to conceive. Individuals and couples that may consider donor sperm include:

• Couples with male factor infertility, such as oligospermia (low sperm count) or azoospermia (no sperm present)
• Couples with a known male genetic defect, such as cystic fibrosis or balanced translocation
• Same-sex couples
• Single women

You can easily obtain donor sperm from an anonymous donor from a nationally recognized cryobank. Upon collection, the sperm is frozen and stored with the cryobank until ready for use. You may select a sperm bank from anywhere in the country as long as it follows the guidelines established by the American Association of Tissue Banks.

Donors are thoroughly tested for infectious diseases to assure the recipient’s safety. Patients can search through the pool of donor candidates and find some information about the donor, including height, weight and occasionally childhood photos.

If you’d like recommendations for reputable sperm banks or would prefer to use a known donor, contact our office for more information.

Before beginning treatment with donor sperm, you will be referred to a reproductive counselor to discuss the process of third-party reproduction. You and your partner will receive blood testing and additional tests, such as an ultrasound or a hysterosalpingogram (HSG – a dye test to check tubal patency), may be recommended. We suggest completing these steps before purchasing donor samples.

Once you’ve chosen a donor, you will need to set up an account with the sperm bank. Many banks will let you purchase several vials and keep them in long-term storage at the sperm bank, which will ensure donor availability for subsequent cycles or an additional pregnancy. Additionally, if the sperm hasn’t left the sperm bank, some sperm bank centers will allow you to refund the samples if you later decide not to use them.

When you place an order, please call our office to provide the details of your chosen bank, donor and an estimated specimen arrival.