After reviewing the details of the California Conceptions Donor Embryo Program, patients deciding to proceed forward with treatment will be scheduled for a consultation with one of our physicians.  During the consultation, the physician will review your health history and treatment history.  The physician will briefly review the medical aspects of the treatment with donor embryos, and can also review alternatives such as donor eggs. and embryo adoption.  The physician may request additional testing before approving patients to move forward with treatment.  After the consultation, the treatment coordinator will follow up with the patient to make sure all testing and requirements are met before the matching process.

There are routine tests that we require of all patients.  The California Conceptions physician may require additional testing or consultations before patients can proceed with the donor embryo program.  It is important to complete all of the necessary testing and any additional requirements so we can minimize any risks to the mother and baby during pregnancy.  Test results and copies of any requested consultations will be required before the matching process can begin.  They California Conceptions physician does not generally need a complete set of medical records or treatment records unless specifically requested by the physician.  Patients with certain medical conditions or complications may need to provide additional records for review.

The California Conceptions Donor Embryo Program follows the American Society For Reproductive Medicine’s (ASRM) guidelines for third party reproduction for donors and recipients.  Recipients of donor embryos are required to undergo counseling with a mental health provider familiar with, and experienced with, ASRM’s recommendations for counseling.  This is not the same as marital counseling or counseling for infertility. Our clinic must receive a copy of the provider’s letter or notes documenting the counseling.

An example of topics covered and information for your counselor is provided in a document Psychological Counseling of Donor Embryo Recipients.

Once a patient has completed their consultations, testing, and counseling, the matching process can begin.  The match may take several months to occur, though in most cases the wait time is relatively minimal.  The quicker patients complete their required testing and counseling with the mental health provider, the sooner we can proceed with a match.

Matching is done by taking into consideration the physical characteristics of the parents, including ethnicity, photographs, and written preferences on the profile form.  Patients with very strict criteria for donor selection should consider egg donation as an alternative to donated embryos.