Lesbian embryo donations?

[mamastotwo]

We are exploring embryo donations and are somewhat (though we probably shouldn't be) by how politicized and homophobic the whole process is. I have just read sites where most of the couples specifically state their embryos go to hetersexual couples only:

Anyway my partner were just saying "Wouldn't it be awesome to get embies from a lesbian couple." Any ideas besides just checking with local fertility clinics (most will make you have a failed IVF cycle with them before you can transfer a donated embryo.)

[mama2rey]

I don't know much about embryo donations, but just wanted to say that I am surprised that places will only work with heterosexual couples. Have you tried to get referrals from some of the sperm banks out there? I know many of them are very lesbian friendly.

[amyb15]

Are you currently looking for embryo?

[mamastotwo]

Many of the embryo donation places were started by Christian groups in response to using embryos for stem cell research. The so called Snowflake movement. We are number one on the waiting list at our fertility clinic for embryos and ready to proceed as soon as we can. Our clinic is 99% hetero couples so if that works out fantastic, but when we were talking we discussed how cool would it be to get the donation from some lesbians.

[mumm]

We tried to donate our embryos- to both a facility that 'adopts' them to a couple ttc and to harvard's stem cell research program. Neither facility would take them because we used unknown donor sperm and therefore they could not get permission from him to put them to a new use.

It felt wasteful to just destroy them, and now they are just waiting until we clear out our sperm (to another family who used the same donor) and then I guess we'll let them thaw. Seems a little sad. Perhaps someone should open a LGBT program for embryo donation.

Are you still looking, or set on waiting with your facility?

[mamastotwo]

We want to do the transfer ASAP so if our facility gets all the legal work together soon we'll probably go with them (this is a new program and we would be their first recipients). I was just thinking about posting something on Donor Sibling Registry because i wonder if you could gift them to a half sibling who used the same donor??? I was going to contact all the half siblings i know of for our son and daughter and see if they would be willing - but i have no clue of the legal ramifications.

I read somewhere that lots of people want to donate their embryos to research or other couples but only about 2% actually do get donated because of the red tape and the non-existence of a easy pipeline to do it.

I just spoke to a Fertility Center here and they said most of their embryo donations are from sperm donors or ovum donors. So maybe the laws differ by states or clinics do different legal work etc.

[mumm]

Actually, I think it is pretty easy to donate directly to another couple. Our facility said to just sign the release paperwork and let them know when the transfer was taking place. Then then accepting family/person just lets their facility know when the shipment is coming in. We are doing it for sperm now, which has really been a piece of cake and our director of cryo said we could do the same for the embryos. They wanted nothing to do with the legal side of things.

I think the logistical nightmare comes into play when an organization becomes involved.

[nhklh]

If I have excess embryos there's not a lot I can do other than let them thaw. They cannot be donated to anyone else here because they'll be formed with donor sperm, and "double donation" is not legal.

I could donate them to research but there aren't any research projects happening right now and the 10 year max freeze time would likely be reached before a project came up.

The counsellor at our clinic told us about a couple taking their embryos down to the beach and "releasing" them into the ocean, that is probably the sort of thing we'd do.

[tuck]

This is a new thought for me....does anyone know how you could find an embryo donor? I have just gone through 4 unsuccessful ivf's this year, and due to my age and history we cannot do another. My dw and I desperately wanted a sibling for our little boy. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[mamastotwo]

If you are a lesbian couple we have found you either have to use a fertility clinic that has their own program or find a couple with frozen embryos that will directly give them to you (and do your own legal work.) We have not found an independent embryo donation place that will donate to lesbians.
I would ask about it at the place(s) where you did your IVFs.

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by lberk

This is a new thought for me....does anyone know how you could find an embryo donor? I have just gone through 4 unsuccessful ivf's this year, and due to my age and history we cannot do another. My dw and I desperately wanted a sibling for our little boy. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

You can try www.surrogatemothersonline.com to seek out an egg donor. Most are more then willing to work with same sex couple or single parents to be.

The new rules laid down by the FDA are retarded to say the least. They now ban all sperm donations from gay men, which is stupid. Are they afraid to pass on the gayness?? Cause all sperm is tested at the time of donation and again at 6 months to make sure it is disease free.

Good Luck with your search.