When faced with infertility, egg donation, artificial insemination using donated sperm or embryo donation may end up being the path for you to have a successful pregnancy. It's important to be comfortable with the process of selecting a donor, and to have discussed with your partner whether or not you will disclose this information to the child at some point. You should give yourself sufficient time to deal effectively with the grieving process of not having a child that is fully genetically related to one or both parents. Once that grieving process is complete, the actual donor process is easier and more straightforward with moving forward with the medical procedure.

There is no specific time line in the donation process. Not everyone is comfortable with the donor decision, but it can be an excellent option for creating a family. Often, it may take six months to a year to feel truly comfortable with using a donor for egg or sperm. The decision to use donor sperm can sometimes be difficult because it does involve the loss of the genetic and biological connection to the father.

Another option is embryo donation. You can contact several clinics to find out who may have embryos that are available. There are also a few specific agencies that provide counseling information and the option to adopt donated embryos. Embryo donation is a relatively new area with respect to understanding some of the psychological and social implications. So it might be helpful for you and your partner to go to counseling prior to choosing an embryo donor so you can sort through you or your partner’s fears, concerns and sadness with respect to these issues.