[email protected]+380.50.469.9880, +380.95.359.8878
Search
START TYPING AND PRESS ENTER TO SEARCH
Modern-day assisted reproductive technology (ART) has enabled an infertile couple to conceive through numerous avenues of third-party reproduction. Although the concept of embryo donation is relatively new, it offers reasonable therapeutic options for such infertile couples.
After childbearing is completed, some infertile couples face a dilemma regarding the disposal of their frozen surplus embryos from IVF procedure. They find it unacceptable to simply dispose their embryos and may decide to donate them to another infertile couple. Such infertile couples often have sympathy for other infertile couples, who face similar reproductive challenges, and they may appreciate the idea of allowing another infertile couple to have a child.
Comparable to an adopted child, a child born after embryo donation has no genetic link with its “caring” parents. One must be careful, however, in distinguishing the concept of “embryo donation” from “embryo adoption.” Embryo adoption implies a routine legal process through which a child born to other parents is taken as one’s own child. Lately, the term “embryo adoption” has been rendered obsolete and shouldn’t be used anymore.
Ideal candidates for embryo donation are infertile couples who can not conceive a genetically related child and take an opportunity to use both egg donation and sperm donation to conceive. Infertile couples with significant male factor infertility, repeated IVF or implantation failures can also benefit from donor embryos. Single women who have poor quality embryos or diminished ovarian reserve but are willing to have children are also pure candidates for embryo donation.
Stay up to date with exciting Surrogacy Ukraine news, subscribe to our newsletter, enter your e-mail address on the right and then click the “subscribe” button.
Embryo donation eliminates the risks of oocytes retrieval during IVF procedure and OHSS. The costs associated with transfer of donor embryos are significantly lower than the use of a fresh IVF cycle and are comparable to the costs of frozen embryos transferred. While a child, derived from embryo donation, has no genetic link with his/her “caring” parents, a mother’s ability to bear and deliver a healthy child strengthens parent-child bonding.
Decisions to donate surplus embryos may be difficult to make. Embryo donors are thoroughly counseled on the consequences of embryo donation and their incentives are noted. Unlike gamete donations, there is no compensation for them. However, recipients pay all the expenses incurred by embryo donors during the process. Success rates for embryo donation depends on careful selection of embryo donors and embryos.
The recipient infertile couple must be fully responsible for embryos and all children resulting from transfer of donor embryos. They should be willing to undergo all the screening tests prescribed for donors. Recipients must also be willing to comply with the embryo donation guidelines established in Ukraine. These infertile patients are truly offered psychological counselling by a qualified mental health professional.
The process of donated embryo transfer is similar to the processes of embryo vitrification and frozen embryo transfer (FET). The decision on the number of donated embryos to be transferred depends on the success and risk ratio. Ukrainian IVF clinics allow the transfer of two (in most cases) to three (for medical reasons) embryos. Depending on the regularity of a recipient’s period, one may decide to undergo FET during a natural cycle, a substituted cycle, or a stimulated cycle.
