Donor eggs for LGBTQ+ couples

Cryos is an LGBTQ+-friendly sperm bank, and over the years we have helped many couples and singles become parents through treatment with donor eggs. We are honored to play a part in changing so many lives and take our responsibility as a sperm and egg bank seriously.

If you are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and considering using an egg donor to conceive, continue reading to discover your options, what to consider, and what concerns LGBTQ+ couples normally have. You are also welcome to contact our Customer Care Consultants if you have any questions about the process.

Preparing for parenthood as LGBTQ+

Having a baby is the beginning of a new chapter in your life. However, as an LGBTQ+ couple, there are a few extra things to consider when starting the journey.

Investigate your options

Today, LGBTQ+ couples have plenty of options to choose from to fulfill their dream of parenthood. Before you choose a certain path, do your research to ensure you proceed with the option best suited for you. If you are in doubt, always consult your doctor before choosing.

The cost of using donor eggs

Treatment with donor eggs can be quite expensive. Before you proceed with that option, we recommend getting the full picture of the financial cost of using donor eggs. In general, two factors influence the total cost of using an egg donor to conceive:

• Donor egg costs: The donor egg cost depends on the Egg Donor Profile. The more you want to know about the donor, the higher the price. 
• Cost of treatment: The cost of treatment with donor eggs varies from clinic to clinic and from treatment to treatment. The cost also depends on your insurance and whether it covers treatment. Due to the variation in prices and the possibility of getting coverage through insurance, we recommend researching the fertility clinics close to you.

Who to carry the baby?

Depending on your family constellation and medical history, you must decide who will carry the pregnancy to terms. When using donor eggs, you have three options:

• You or a partner (female same-sex couples): If you or your partner struggle with female infertility, but can carry a pregnancy, you can use donor eggs to fulfill your dreams. Use partner sperm or donor sperm to create an embryo before being transferred to the partner carrying the pregnancy.
• Yourself (singles): Some single women struggle with low egg quality causing the need for donor eggs, but their reproductive system is still capable of carrying a pregnancy. As a result, they need both donor sperm and eggs to create an embryo, before being transferred to the person carrying the pregnancy.
• Surrogate: A surrogate is relevant for people without the ability to carry a pregnancy. Male gay couples, single men, or people who struggle with female infertility affecting their reproductive system could use a surrogate.

Choosing an egg donor

Choosing a donor is a process many find both exciting and overwhelming, with plenty of things to consider. Start by asking yourself questions like: Do you want your child to be able to contact the donor in the future? How much do you want to know about the donor? These questions will help you narrow down your options and make it easier for you to find the right donor. For further guidance, follow the link to our guide on choosing an egg donor.

At Cryos, we offer a range of tools to help you find a donor, such as our free Face Matching tool, which will help you find egg donors with similar characteristics as yourself or a partner. See our full selection of donors in our egg donor search.

 

Learn from other LGBTQ+ parents

If you find the process confusing or have questions, this is perfectly normal. Our Customer Care Team can help answer most of them, but in some cases, the best answers come from others who have already completed the journey you are about to enter. In our Facebook group, Family Dreams USA, you can connect with other LGBTQ+ couples and ask questions about topics such as fertility treatment with donor eggs and LGBTQ+ parenting. You can also see pictures of donor-conceived children shared by other LGBTQ+ parents, singles, and heterosexual couples or read our blog posts with personal stories:

Treatments with donor eggs

There are three types of treatment with donor eggs available for LGBTQ+ people and couples: IVF, ICSI, and double donation. Common to all is that the fertilization process takes place in a lab. Read about each method below:

• IVF: In IVF, the donor egg is placed alongside sperm from a partner. If the egg is fertilized and then develops sufficiently, it is transferred to the person carrying the pregnancy.
• ICSI: ICSI is similar to IVF. The only difference is that instead of placing the sperm next to the egg, a single sperm cell is injected straight into the egg.
• Double donation: Double donation treatment is IVF or ICSI treatment where both the sperm and egg come from a donor. 

 

Embryos created with Cryos donor eggs

At Cryos, we do not just offer donor eggs – we offer an even more safe and cost-effective solution with ready-to-transfer embryos created from Cryos donor eggs. Your embryos will be created at our advanced laboratory in Denmark using either donor sperm or your partner’s sperm. You can then choose to have your embryos securely shipped to a clinic of your choice, or travel to Denmark for the embryo transfer at Cryos’ own clinic.

Learn more about embryos here

 

Common concerns for future LGBTQ+ parents

Parental rights

Civil rights for LGBTQ+, including parental rights, differ from state to state, and many LGBTQ+ people worry about their parental rights after the child is born. Before the child is born, be sure to research whether you are considered a co-parent from birth or if you need to take any legal action to be considered the parent to your child.

Being the non-biological parent

Some future LGBTQ+ parents are concerned about their relationship with their child when becoming a non-biological parent. However, this concern often lasts until birth, before learning that genetics do not matter when raising a child. The only thing that does matter is being supportive, loving, and caring.

The well-being of children in LGBTQ+ families

Most future parents have concerns about the well-being of their children. Some LGBTQ+ parents fear that their children may be bullied because of their family structure. However, no research supports this assumption, as studies show that children can be bullied or picked on for various reasons. Today there are so many ways of starting and being a family, and LGBTQ+ people and families are much more represented in movies and TV series than before. Children are therefore more used to seeing and meeting different family structures than earlier generations. According to Susan Golombok, Professor of Family Research and Director of the Centre for Family Research at the University of Cambridge, there is no reason to worry about your child’s well-being in relation to your gender identity, sexual orientation, etc.:

“Children thrive in all different kinds of families. What really matters is the quality of relationships between children and their parents.” 

Unfortunately, you cannot prevent your child from negative experiences, such as bullying, but through education and your family’s unique story, you can make sure they know how lucky and proud they should be to grow up in an LGBTQ+ family.

Get personal guidance on your journey to parenthood

If you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community and looking to learn about the possibilities of becoming a parent, then feel free to contact our Customer Care Team. They are always happy to answer any questions you might have and help you on your journey towards parenthood.