Embryo/Blastocyst Donation (mixed race parentage) in UK/Europe

[Apachegirl]

Does anyone know where you can go (besides the usual fertility clinics in the UK) to see if they can help with embryo donations of mixed race parentage (in my case, afrocaribbean & caucasian).  I'm at my wits end trying to do research on this, it seems that the US is well in advance with these things (although the sites seem to suggest that you have to be a church going Christian or married for about 80 years before they'll help you).  We have been told that the waiting list for donor eggs is around 9 months average, (this is for caucasian children) so you can imagine how long we would have to wait for a donor egg from an afro caribbean female) hence giving up on that option.  My partner and I are very keen to go for embryo or blastocyst donation, again do-able in the UK but hardly any donations for mixed race couples - any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks

[SamHope]

Hello
I was reading this and I am wondring, I would like to donate eggs.  I am mixed race (black and white) and really I don't know where to go.  Is there a special website or something where people who would like to donate can go.  I was chatting to my friends and we were commenting on contacting clinics , its tough calling clinic after clinic practically begging them to be a donor is not always useful, some never call back, others the phone just rings and trying  find the right person is interesting.

Is there one website where we can just register and wait for contact?  Its tough to donate !!

Thanks SH

[YvetteY]

Well good luck to you...I do hope you find that embryo!  

[Apachegirl]

Hi Yvette

Sorry it's taken me awhile, i havent been online for a few days.  OK it's a bit difficult to explain but culturally, people from afro-caribbean decent in the UK do not donate ANY part of the body on a regular basis, i.e. blood donations, bone marrow, organ donation and fertility donations, it's unfortunately a thing that they (we) just dont think about doing, there was even a campaign recently for more organ donors in the UK on tv last week from ethnic backgrounds.  Maybe now you can understand why it's difficult to get an egg.  I was hoping with embryo donation it wouldnt matter if the mother was caucasian and the father from african decent as the child would still  be mixed.  I was watching of all things America's Next Top Model last night and the final 6 are going to Amersterdam (which is only a 45 minute plane journey from the UK), there are people of many colours living there so I'm going to see if there are any clinics there that can help.

PS 40's Mamma - congratulations on the birth of your baby boy - keep your fingers crossed for me

[YvetteY]

Oh never mind...I see you are looking for embryo donation.   I thought you were looking for an egg donor.  

[YvetteY]

Unfortunately...I couldnt' answer you question as I dont have an answer for you.  But I do have a question for you....how is it different in the UK for using an egg donor.  I understand you are looking for a specfic type of egg donor and that it will take longer.  

Our infertility clinic has a donor pool, but there was a long waiting list, we ended up using an egg donor agency (X and Y consulting) but they are in the US.  We did have to pay extra for the agency and the egg donor.  It would have been less expensive if our clinic had one for us to use.

[40smama]

I didn't actually use a egg donor agency - there were a pool of donors available through my clinic and that's how we chose our donor.

I delivered my baby last April - a baby boy.  I hope you get the donor/embryo you'd like - best of luck to you.

[Apachegirl]

Thanks for your reply, the whole point is we have gone through fertility clinics and spoken to the specialists re their donor programme, the problem we have in the UK is there is very limited opportunity for a mixed race egg or embryo being donated.  The general waiting list times quoted to us is 3 - 9 months and the clinics have agreed that this is based on caucasian donations.  Would you mind letting me know which agency you used and a big Congratulations on your pregnancy

[40smama]

I don't understand the delay in starting a donor cycle.  If I were you, I would contact a donor egg/sperm agency to find various races that would help you.  I'm almost positive that most egg donor agencies will be able to help you - especially here in the U.S.

When doing my donor cycle, the most time consuming part was picking out the donor.  After that, it went fairly fast.  We were pregnant within four months & my clinic didn't have any requirements as far as being a Christian, etc.