Anonymity of donors of donated embryos

Hello, my wife and I have chosen embryo adoption as our fertility treatment mainly because it’s the cheapest option when you cannot use your own reproductive cells. We are happy but we would be happier if we could meet our donor couple or at least they could write a goodwill message for our baby-to-be. I mean, we are an open-minded couple and although this is being complicated for us, we understand that our child should’ve the right to meet his biological parents apart from us. So we would like to know if there is any country in the world that allows open embryo adoption (with known donors). We’re from Greece and as you may know it is forbidden here and in many countries surrounding ours.

Dear luke76,

yes, known embryo donation and adoption is possible in the United States of America. However, the most common type of embryo donation is the anonymous one. It is the most used because this way donors can help other people have children while at the same time they keep such information confidential.

As for recipients, they also prefer anonymous embryo donation because it is the most cost-affordable option. In this case, it is the fertility clinic which matches the embryos with a receiving couple. In this sense, the process works as any other type of donation (egg or sperm). Medical staff will always match viable donated embryos to a receiving healthy couple.

As I said earlier, the USA allow open embryo donation, in which case the identity of the couple who donate their spare embryos them is revealed. According to several studies, it is estimated that almost half donors prefer open embryo donation because this way they can choose who is going to receive their embryos. It is similar as what happens with traditional adoption.

It should be pointed out that, when we refer to “open donation”, we include the following possibilities: from asking questions directly to the receiving couple to meeting them in person on a regular basis. Many donors and recipients even build a close relationship between them and donors finally meet the donor-conceived baby.

Of course, donors are totally free when it comes to writing a goodwill message or not. Goodwill messages are common in the case of egg or sperm donation as well, as you can see on the following thread: Dos and don’ts for writing my egg donor goodwill message?

I hope I have been able to help,

Regards