When to Consider Embryo Donation/ Double Donation in Your Surrogacy Journey

“Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for yourself is to stop forcing your body into yet another round of fertility treatments and consider an option that might actually give you a higher chance of success. 

Embryo donation or double donation isn’t failing – it’s a thoughtful, loving decision that can move you toward parenthood faster and with less emotional strain.”

This emotionally supportive perspective is especially relevant for intended parents pursuing surrogacy. If you and your partner have been struggling with unsuccessful IVF cycles, poor embryo quality, or other challenges, embryo donation can be a compassionate and effective path forward.

In this article, we’ll explore what embryo donation/double donation is in the context of surrogacy, and outline key situations when you might consider this option. I will also explain how this option works with a gestational surrogate, and discuss the benefits and success rates of this option. My goal is to provide clear information and emotional reassurance for those considering embryo donation as part of their surrogacy journey.

What Is Embryo Donation/Double Donation (and why it’s important in the surrogacy process)?

For many intended parents, embryo donation or double donation opens a meaningful and hopeful pathway to parenthood. This option involves creating or receiving embryos using both an egg donor and a sperm donor. One of the advantages is the ability to choose the donors yourself: reviewing profiles, backgrounds, and characteristics to find the combination that feels right for your family.

There are two main ways this can work:

 1. You may receive embryos that have already been created and donated by another individual or couple. 

2. You can choose an egg donor and a sperm donor, and the clinic will create the embryos specifically for your surrogacy journey.

Whichever route you choose, the embryos are transferred to a gestational surrogate, who carries the pregnancy for you. The surrogate has no genetic connection to the baby; her role is to provide a safe, healthy environment throughout the pregnancy.

Double donation offers a wonderful path to parenthood for individuals and couples who cannot use their own eggs and sperm but still wish to experience the journey of welcoming a newborn, supported by carefully selected donors and a dedicated surrogate.

The Legal Landscape in International Surrogacy

In international surrogacy, double donation introduces an extra layer of legal complexity because neither intended parent has a genetic connection to the child. This does not make the process impossible, but it does require thorough due diligence and experienced legal guidance.

Important: Different countries may have specific requirements for establishing parentage, meaning additional documentation, legal planning, and coordination across jurisdictions are often needed. 

With the right support, intended parents can still be fully recognized as the child’s legal parents and complete the journey successfully.

When Is Double Donation the Right Choice?

Double donation is a very specific option, appropriate only when both egg and sperm cannot be used, or when using them would pose significant medical or genetic risk. It plays a crucial role in the surrogacy process, ensuring that intended parents have the highest chance of creating healthy embryos for transfer.

Below are the true, medically and ethically valid scenarios where double donation is recommended:

1. Both Partners Have Non-Treatable Gamete-Related Infertility

This is the most common and medically grounded reason for choosing double donation.

Examples include:

• Premature ovarian insufficiency combined with severe male-factor infertility

• Chronically poor egg quality combined with absence of high-quality sperm

• A single intended parent with severely compromised gamete function

If neither eggs nor high-quality sperm can reliably create viable embryos, double donation provides the most effective and straightforward path to success in the surrogacy process.

2. High Genetic Risk From Both Sides

Double donation may be advised when:

• Both partners are carriers of serious inherited genetic diseases

• One partner has a high-risk dominant genetic condition and the other has additional genetic concerns

• Genetic screening or PGT-A cannot eliminate the risk

By selecting donors with healthy eggs and high-quality sperm, intended parents reduce the risk of passing on genetic disorders and increase the likelihood of a healthy embryo for the surrogacy process.

3. Repeated IVF Failure Clearly Linked to Egg AND Sperm Quality

This applies only when fertility specialists determine that both gametes are contributing to poor outcomes.

For example:

• Eggs consistently show chromosomal or developmental issues

• Sperm presents severe DNA fragmentation or is not of high quality

• Several IVF cycles have failed due to combined poor gamete function

If only one gamete is problematic, single donation is the correct approach. Double donation is used only when both egg and sperm factors are responsible for repeated failures.

4. Emotional Preference for “Equal Genetic Footing”

Although not a medical reason, some couples choose double donation for emotional or relationship considerations.

This may help:

• Avoid one partner having a genetic link while the other does not

• Reduce emotional disparity or potential future conflict

• Create a family structure where both parents feel equally connected

For some couples, this approach brings a sense of unity and shared belonging throughout the surrogacy process.

5. Single or LGBTQ+ Intended Parents With No Usable Gametes

Double donation is an option for:

• LGBTQ+ or single intended parents who genuinely have no usable eggs or high-quality sperm

• Individuals whose gametes are nonviable due to age, medical history, or prior treatment

Important clarifications:

• Same-sex male couples usually only need an egg donor (double donation applies only if neither partner can provide high-quality sperm)

• Same-sex female couples usually only need donor sperm (double donation applies only if neither partner has viable eggs)

• Single men typically need only an egg donor unless they also cannot provide high-quality sperm

• Single women typically need only sperm donation unless their eggs are also unusable (due to older age for example).

Double donation should be considered only when no viable eggs or high quality sperm exist, ensuring the best chance for a healthy embryo in the surrogacy process.

Why Double Donation Can Be a Beautiful Pathway

Double donation is a powerful option for intended parents who cannot use their own eggs and sperm but still want to experience the joy of welcoming a newborn. With carefully selected donors and the support of a caring gestational surrogate, families can be created with intention, love, and hope, regardless of genetic connection.

It may not be the right choice for everyone, but for those who need it, double donation provides clarity, direction, and a truly viable path to parenthood.

How Embryo Donation Works with a Surrogate

It’s important to understand how the process actually unfolds when you choose embryo donation as part of a surrogacy journey. Here’s a step-by-step overview of what typically happens:

• Finding or Creating Embryos: The first step is obtaining embryos for your surrogacy journey, which can happen in one of two ways. With embryo adoption or donation, you receive embryos that were already created by another couple, often after successful IVF cycles. These embryos are typically high quality and may come from younger donors, giving you a head start in building your family. Alternatively, with double donation, you can create embryos specifically for your family by selecting both an egg donor and a sperm donor. This option lets you review donor characteristics, medical histories, and, in some cases, consider genetic testing or even gender selection if permitted. Both options provide a path to parenthood when using your own gametes isn’t possible, with embryo adoption offering convenience and double donation giving a more personalized, tailored approach.

  
  

• Medical Preparations: Your chosen gestational surrogate will undergo a typical embryo transfer cycle similar to IVF. This involves syncing her cycle and using hormone medications to prepare her uterus for implantation. Meanwhile, the donated embryo is thawed (if it was frozen) and prepared for transfer.

  
  

• Embryo Transfer Procedure: At the right time, fertility doctors perform an embryo transfer, placing the donated embryo into the surrogate’s uterus. This is a brief, painless procedure much like any IVF embryo transfer. The surrogate then continues supportive medications and is monitored for pregnancy. If the embryo implants successfully, she becomes pregnant and will carry the baby to term for the intended parents. (The surrogate remains genetically unrelated to the baby. Her role is to nurture the pregnancy, not to contribute DNA.)

  
  

• Legal considerations: can differ depending on whether you are using adopted/donated embryos or creating embryos with donors you select:

  
  

  1. Embryo Adoption/Donation: In this case, the donors have typically already agreed to relinquish any parental rights. Legal agreements focus on confirming that the intended parents will be recognized as the child’s legal parents and that the surrogate has no parental claim. Depending on the jurisdiction, additional documentation may be required to finalize parentage.

  
  

  2. Double Donation (Creating Embryos with Chosen Donors): When embryos are created specifically for your journey the donors can be anonymous or non-anonymous. Agreements must address parental rights, donor anonymity (or disclosure), and responsibilities of all parties. Donor anonymity laws vary widely between countries, so careful legal planning and coordination is essential to ensure the intended parents are recognized as the child’s legal parents and that the donor’s role is clearly defined.

  
  

• Pregnancy and Parenthood: Once pregnant, the surrogate carries the baby for nine months, and you will likely be involved in the journey – attending ultrasounds, preparing for the baby’s arrival, and maintaining a supportive relationship with your surrogate. When the baby is born, you assume parenting duties immediately (often even being present for the birth). Although the child won’t share your genes, the baby is your child in every way that matters. You’ll have a unique birth story to share someday – one that highlights the kindness of the embryo donors and the generosity of your surrogate that helped bring your baby into the world.

Benefits of Donated Embryos in Surrogacy

Choosing embryo donation can offer several practical and emotional benefits for intended parents, especially after a long journey of infertility:

• Higher Chances of Success: Donated embryos often come from proven successful IVF cycles, which can mean a better chance of pregnancy. Many are high-grade embryos created by younger donors or fertile couples, which tend to implant successfully. When transferred into a healthy surrogate (who typically has a proven uterus and track record of carrying pregnancies well), success rates can be very encouraging. In other words, surrogacy with a donated embryo can significantly boost the odds of pregnancy, especially when previous attempts with your own embryos have failed.

  
  

• Emotionally Meaningful Choice: For many, there is comfort in knowing that by choosing embryo donation, you are giving life to an embryo that might otherwise remain frozen indefinitely or be discarded. These embryos are sometimes poetically called “snowflake babies” – each one unique and waiting for a chance at life. Intended parents often feel a profound gratitude and connection to the donors for entrusting them with this embryo. There’s also solace in the idea that something beautiful (a baby) can come from others’ generosity after so much personal hardship. Additionally, if having a newborn is important to you (as opposed to adopting an older child), embryo donation lets you have the experience of welcoming a baby from birth and, through surrogacy, being closely involved in the pregnancy journey. It’s an ethical and loving choice that builds families in a special way.

Benefits of Double Donation in Surrogacy

Choosing double donation donation can offer several practical and emotional benefits for intended parents, especially after a long journey of infertility:

• Personalized Donor Selection: With double donation, you can carefully review both egg and sperm donor profiles, including medical history, physical traits, education, and other personal characteristics. This allows you to select donors who align with your family’s preferences, values, and priorities, giving a sense of agency and confidence in the embryo creation process.

  
  

• High-Quality Embryos: Clinics typically use high-quality eggs and sperm to create embryos, maximizing the likelihood of healthy, viable embryos. This can be particularly reassuring for intended parents who have experienced infertility challenges or previous IVF failures.

  
  

• Control Over Genetic Considerations: Double donation offers the opportunity to incorporate genetic testing for chromosomal health (PGT-A) or carrier screening, helping reduce the risk of inherited conditions. In some clinics and jurisdictions, you may also have the option to consider gender selection if legally permitted.

In Conclusion: A Loving Path to Parenthood

Choosing embryo donation or double donation is a deeply personal decision, but it comes with the reassurance that you are not “giving up”. You are embracing a thoughtful and hopeful path to parenthood. For intended parents who have experienced infertility challenges, either option offers a meaningful route to welcoming a child, often with higher chances of success and less emotional strain than repeated unsuccessful IVF cycles.

Donated embryos or embryos created through double donation unite the generosity of donors, the dedication of a gestational surrogate, and your own unwavering desire to become a parent. Double donation, in particular, allows you to select both egg and sperm donors, tailoring your family’s genetic and medical considerations, while embryo adoption provides a ready-to-use embryo that can accelerate your surrogacy journey.

If any of the scenarios we discussed, untreatable infertility, genetic concerns, repeated IVF failure, or lack of usable gametes, resonate with you, it may be time to explore these options with your fertility specialists and surrogacy professionals.

Remember, neither embryo donation nor double donation is a consolation prize. Both are proactive, loving choices that open the door to the family you’ve been dreaming of, and to the baby you’ve longed to welcome into your life.

If you are considering embryo donation/double donation as part of your surrogacy plan and want guidance from someone who works independently from clinics and agencies, you can schedule a free consultation.

During our free session, we can review your circumstances, discuss the medical and legal pathways available to you, and explore whether embryo donation is realistically a strong option in your surrogacy journey.

There is no obligation, just a safe space to ask questions and breathe for a moment.