THIRD PARTY PARENTING OPTIONS WITH AN INFERTILITY CLINIC

Infertility is a problem that many people face every year, and it may be caused by a number of reasons. When infertility is due to the mother or father being unable to produce viable eggs or sperm, third party parenting is an option. Third party parenting describes pregnancies that are made possible by donation of eggs or sperm by a person other than the parents.

It is an involved process that requires prospective parents to consider a number of issues. At Rocky Mountain Fertility Clinic, our staff provides support and assistance to parents who are unable to conceive, and offers numerous options to help.

Egg donation

Egg donation can help women who are unable to conceive for a variety of reasons. It is an excellent option when infertility is due to any of the following reasons:

• Natural or surgically induced menopause
• Premature failure of the ovaries
• Repeated unsuccessful in vitro fertilization
• Poor quality eggs
• Genetic conditions

Third party parenting is coupled with in vitro fertilization; parents have the option to receive eggs from an anonymous donor or a known donor. Known donors are typically family members or friends of the recipient.

Parents can select anonymous donors based on physical appearance, education, profession, ethnic background and other factors. At Rocky Mountain Fertility Clinic, we have a diverse selection of egg donors who have been rigorously screened.

Once the donor is selected, the mother is prepared for in vitro fertilization with hormone treatments to ensure her uterus is prepared to support an embryo. The father’s sperm (which can be that of the mother’s partner or of a donor) and the donor egg are combined in a laboratory and allowed to grow into an early stage embryo, and then implanted in the mother’s uterus via a thin, flexible catheter. IVF with donor eggs is successful in 75-85% of cases.

Sperm donation

Sperm donation is recommended when the couble is unable to conceive due to male factor infertility. A donor’s sperm may either be inserted directly into the mother’s uterine canal via intra-uterine insemination (IUI) or used for in vitro fertilization. As with egg donation, sperm donation may be from an anonymous or known donor.

Rocky Mountain Fertility Clinic assists parents with selecting anonymous donors who have been carefully screened. Parents can select sperm donors based on physical appearance, education, ethnic background and other factors, and the process is very similar to selecting anonymous egg donors.