‘It takes a village’ – fertility treatment using donor gametes, embryos and/or surrogacy

Abstract

Fertility treatment using donated gametes and embryos is increasingly common. Indications for the use of donated sperm and oocytes include azoospermia, single women and women in same‐sex relationships, inherited conditions, poor quality embryos or failed fertilisation in previous cycles of assisted reproductive technology, and ovarian insufficiency. Causes of azoospermia and ovarian insufficiency include congenital and genetic disorders, infectious and traumatic conditions, iatrogenic causes and age‐related decline. These treatment cycles have ethical and legal implications and require appropriate pre‐conception counselling and completion of Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)‐mandated forms to ensure the safety of donors, recipients and any children born as a result of treatment. All donors are screened for infectious diseases and can also be screened for genetic conditions. Sperm donation can be organised outside of recognised fertility clinic settings, which increases the possibility of infection transmission. Compared with cycles using autologous gametes and embryos, treatment outcomes can increase live birth rates and reduce incidence of low birthweight, but may increase hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.