Donating Eggs to Your Partner or Someone You Know

Egg donation doesn’t always happen anonymously to someone you don’t know. We often help women donate to friends, family or even their partner through ‘shared motherhood’ or IVF Partners/Reciprocal IVF.

Donating to someone you know is called ‘known donation’ and it’s a situation we’re very experienced in, ensuring the best outcome for everyone involved.

Here’s how it works:

Donating eggs to family or friends

If you’ve offered to be an egg donor to a friend or family member, the first thing we’ll do is invite everyone involved to our Cheshire-based clinic.

This is so we can have an informal chat about the process and what being an egg donor, and receiving and conceiving with donor eggs, means for each of you.

You won’t be the legal parent of any resulting child, but there are unique emotional factors for all of you that need to be talked through, as you may be present in the child’s life over the years.

It’s especially important to talk through explaining to a child their origins, as all donor-conceived people have the right to apply for information about their donor when they turn 18.

You’ll be given professional counselling with our fertility counsellors, before any treatment begins. This is so everyone is aware of their rights and responsibilities from the outset, and are happy to proceed.

Donating eggs to your partner: Shared motherhood/IVF Partners

Shared motherhood – or IVF Partners or Reciprocal IVF – allows both you and your partner to be physically involved in the creation and birth of your baby.

It involves using the eggs of one partner to create the embryo, which is then transferred to the other partner for pregnancy and birth. Effectively, you are donating your eggs to your partner through this treatment.

You’ll need to decide whose eggs will be used, and who will carry the baby and give birth. The necessary initial testing we do may also influence this decision.

You’ll also be offered counselling, as all egg donors and recipients are.

If you’re in a civil partnership or married, you will both be the legal parents of the baby, with the partner who gives birth considered the legal mother.

If you’re not married or in a civil partnership, your consent forms which are completed prior to treatment allow you to give consent for your partner to be the second legal parent.

We’ll ensure you have all the right information and understand the implications of consent to parenthood.

Health screening for known donors

Known egg donors still have to undergo the same health screening and testing as anonymous donors, in line with the HFEA’s strict regulations.  

We test for diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis and Rubella, as well as STIs. We’ll also check your medical history including close family to identify if there are any hereditary conditions.

We will also perform tests to check ovarian reserve and hormone levels, to ensure you can safely donate eggs and will respond to fertility medications.

Considering known donation? Talk to our Donation Team

Speak to our dedicated Donation Team on 0161 300 2734 to find out more about known egg donation and shared motherhood or IVF Partners. We’re happy to answer any questions you have.