Using donor sperm, eggs, embryos or surrogacy
Some people may need to consider using eggs, sperm or embryos from a donor. This can be because of fertility problems which make it necessary to use donor eggs or sperm, or it may be for single women or same-sex couples. In other cases, if a woman cannot carry a baby herself, or if a male same-sex couple wish to have a child, surrogacy may be the answer where another woman carries the pregnancy.
The Donor Conception Network is a charity dedicated to supporting donor conception families. They can offer advice and support to anyone considering or going through treatment using donor eggs, sperm or embryos, to families who have used donor conception and to people who are donor conceived. They have a wide range of information available on their website and can offer support, workshops, events and have a library of useful resources.
Donor Eggs
Donor Sperm
- Quick guide to using donor sperm from the British Fertility Society
- Information for single women seeking fertility treatment from the HFEA
- Information for same sex couples seeking fertility treatment from the HFEA
- Information from Manchester University for families with donor conceived children
Online DNA Testing
Surrogacy
In surrogacy arrangements, a woman agrees to carry a baby for a couple. Once the baby is born, the intended parent or parents will then take over responsibility and care for the baby. It is important that legal advice is taken if you are considering a surrogacy arrangement
- Information from the HFEA about surrogacy
- Advice from the Department of Health and Social Care on Surrogacy
- Quick guide from the British Fertility Society to surrogacy
- Fertility Network UK information on surrogacy
- Surrogacy UK is a not-for-profit organisation which supports those considering surrogacy and surrogates
- Brilliant Beginnings helps surrogates and intended parents to come together
- COTS (Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogacy) helps to match surrogates and intended parents
For egg and sperm donors, the possibility of being contacted by someone conceived as a result of their donation might be exciting, or raise questions and concerns. This collection of leaflets designed with the organisations listed below provide information and suggest sources of support for donors and their families. This is particularly important now as the law in the UK changed in 2005 to enable donor-conceived people, at 18, to access information about their donor. The first cohort of people entitled to access this information will be able to do so from October 2023 by contacting the HFEA.
Find information leaflets at ConnecteDNA from the University of Manchester
Lifestyle and fertility for men and women
Your lifestyle can make a difference to your fertility and this applies for both men and women.
External Organisations
Links to other useful sites we have partnerships with
