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Embryo Donation

Giving others the chance to have a family

Once couples and individuals undergoing IVF treatment complete their families, they may choose to donate their remaining embryos to another couple or individual. This may be for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Not wanting to dispose of the embryos,
  • Believing it is ethically preferable to donate rather than dispose of embryos,
  • Feeling compassion for others struggling with infertility
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Can embryo donation help me?

If other fertility treatments have been unsuccessful (or are extremely unlikely to be successful), your fertility specialist may suggest embryo donation as an option for you.

If you decide to go down this path, you will be placed on the donor embryo waiting list  and counselling sessions organised.

The TasIVF Embryo Donation Program is available until the pregnancy carrier’s 51st Birthday.

Can I be paid to donate my embryos to the clinic?

In Australia, donating embryos is an altruistic act and it is illegal to pay a donor to donate.

However, you can be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred during the process of donating. TasIVF will reimburse reasonable expenses with a proof of receipt. The donor will only be reimbursed if accepted into the program and after consents have been signed.

Donating your embryos

Couples or individuals wanting to donate embryos are required to complete a Genetic and Medical Health Questionnaire. If you have a family history of serious medical or genetic conditions, a clinical geneticist will assess whether your embryos are suitable for donation.

Your embryos will also be assessed by a senior embryologist for their pregnancy potential and suitability for donation.

You will also be required to undertake counselling, screening blood tests for infectious diseases and some genetic conditions.

Once the above process is completed your embryos are ready for allocation.

Using embryos donated by others

If you want to become a recipient of donated embryos, you must have completed your own treatment, including having used any of your own frozen embryos in storage.

You will require at least two counselling sessions to discuss the social, legal and emotional implications of being a recipient of donor embryos, as well as screening blood tests. You will also be required to sign the relevant consent form and join the waiting list.

Once the above process is complete and you have reached the top of the waiting list, you will be ready for an allocation of donor embryos. You will receive the donor’s non-identifying profile to view. Please note we cannot provide treatment after the pregnancy carrier’s 51st birthday and any remaining embryos after this age will be relinquished back to the donor program.

Embryo donation laws

The child born from a donated embryo is deemed to be the child of the birth parent and partner (if applicable).

TasIVF maintains a secure register of all past donors, which the offspring of donors have the option to access when they turn 18.