Third Party Reproductive Services

For couples, or single women, who need help building a family, the Center for Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology offers the following third party reproductive services:

• Donor eggs (oocyte) in vitro fertilization
• Gestational surrogacy
• Embryo donation
• Donor sperm

DONOR Eggs (OOCYTE) In Vitro Fertilization

We are proud to be in our 16^th year of offering in vitro fertilization (IVF) with donated eggs for women who cannot provide their own eggs for their infertility treatment, due to:

• Advancing age
• Premature ovarian failure
• Surgical removal of ovaries
• Genetic diseases carried by the X chromosome
• Repeated cycle failures or Recurrent miscarriages
• other Reproductive health conditions

The chance of achieving a pregnancy with donated eggs exceeds 60 percent.

Benefits of Egg Donation

Egg donation offers couples the ability to have:

• A biological family, as the female partner experiences pregnancy, while maintaining their genetic link through the genetic father
• Genetic siblings from the frozen embryos they created, via their first donor egg IVF

Criteria for Receiving Donated Eggs

Recipients of donor eggs for IVF must:

• Be 51 years of age or younger
• Have a normal uterus
• Be medically able to carry a pregnancy

Women 45 years or older will be required to obtain medical clearance.

Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational surrogacy (sometimes referred to as “host uterus” or “gestational carrier”) may be appropriate for some couples who can provide their own eggs and sperm (or are willing to use a donor), but do not have a normal uterus to transfer the embryos to.

Gestational surrogacy is an appropriate option for women who have:

• Had hysterectomies
• Abnormalities affecting the reproductive organs
• Multiple non-genetic pregnancy losses
• Immune system disorders
• Underlying metabolic disorders that are complicated by pregnancy, or would make pregnancy unwise

The Process of Gestational Surrogacy

1. Couples create embryos through the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process using their own genetic material. When one of the partners cannot provide either their own eggs or sperm, a donor may be used.
2. The embryos are then transferred to the uterus of the carrier who has contracted with the couple.
3. The carrier will provide gestational care and relinquish the child at its birth.

Finding a Gestational Surrogate

The Center does not recruit gestational surrogates.

Couples requiring the assistance of a gestational surrogate can find a carrier from:

• An agency
• An attorney
• Their own circle of family or friends

Surrogates need to meet stringent criteria regarding their reproductive and medical histories, as well as being emotionally healthy and having good support systems.

The Center provides medical services and pre-conception psychological screening for the intended parents and the surrogate and her partner, if she has one.

EMBRYO DONATION

Embryo donation is a small, but growing, program at the Center.

Couples who have completed their families, but have remaining embryos, may choose to donate them anonymously to couples who are willing to receive them, and for whom this option is medically appropriate.

Ideal candidates for embryo donation are those in need of both donated eggs and donated sperm, or single women who are beyond the normal reproductive age range.

All couples considering family building via donated embryos are counseled regarding this unique choice.

Criteria for Embryo Donation

Eligibility for donation of embryos includes factors such as:

• The age of the genetic mom
• Number of embryos available
• Quality of embryos

Benefits of Embryo Donation

Donor couples give this very precious gift after:

• Screening for infectious diseases
• Completing a health survey
• Counseling to make sure they are comfortable with their decision to donate

Recipients of donated embryos gain the opportunity to:

• Become biological and nurturing parents to a child to whom they have no genetic connection
• Experience pregnancy and the joys of parenthood

Donor Sperm

Single women, or couples who have severe male factor problems or inability to produce sperm, may choose to use donor sperm to achieve a family.

Semen samples are obtained through one of several sperm banks, accredited by the American Tissue Bank, and registered with the FDA.

Pregnancy may be achieved using donor sperm samples through intrauterine insemination, or by in vitro fertilization (IVF) when indicated.

As with all third party reproductive arrangements, we recommend and offer counseling.