Shared donor egg cycle with new sperm donor vs donor embryo??

Danasingle · 06-05-2008, 04:38 PM

Warning - Children mentioned:

My complicated decisions just got more complicated.

My children's sperm donor has a reported boy born with Autism. Plus my child may have a genetic problem that the donor's family may have shared too.

So do what? Switch donors? So using donor egg would mean the child(ren) would not be gentically-related to mine at all.

So then what?

Use donor embryo, because I could afford to try twice instead of only once with shared egg donor cycle? (The 50% live birth rate with a shared cycle makes me nervous too.)

The success rate for donor embryos is what? 20% per transfer of 2-4 embryos?

These decisions are getting more difficult.

Would value your views. I am single and have no partner to bounce this off with.

Dana

tab11 · 06-05-2008, 05:28 PM

Dana, sorry you're being faced with these difficult decisions. If you decide to switch donors, losing the biological connection to your current children, I would just go ahead and use donor embryos. The nice thing about donor embryos is that right off the bat you know what you're working with as far as embryo quality and quantity. You don't have to go through the agonizing process of finding just the right egg donor, sweating it out through the stim phase, sweating out the ER and fertilization. Having just gone through my 2nd failed DE-IVF (1st DE-IVF ended in m/c) I can definitely see the benefits of using donor embryos. Plus like you said, you'll have the benefit of trying twice if needed. One downside is that it is an FET, which has lower success rates than a fresh ET.

Can't really give you advice on whether you actually want to switch sperm donors because of the autism and possible genetic problem. I would recommend talking with a geneticist about that.

Good luck with your decision. Let us know what path you decide to take.

Danasingle · 06-05-2008, 10:41 PM

Thank you for sharing your opinion Tab. Good idea about speaking with a geneticist.

Good point too about some of the 'agony' of waiting to find out if the egg donor decides to go through with the cycle, or responds well, etc.

I'm finding it rather an emotionallly-big step to go from full-genetically-related siblings, then skipping half-related and going to straight adoption---although I would carry the baby.

Dana

HappyJen · 06-06-2008, 05:46 PM

I don't have any advice, but wanted to give you a great big ((HUG))

06-07-2008, 06:08 AM

Hey Dana --

It is a big step to go to donor embryo, from DE with the same donor sperm you've been using. I guess you'd have to sort through the pros and cons of both possibilities. For what it's worth, I don't think it will matter to your DD's; they'll probably be thrilled with their new sibling no matter what!

If donor embryo gives you a better chance of success, and/or an extra chance to try, I think it would be worth it. Plus, as has been mentioned, it's less stressful.

The only thing is that I'd be sure to use donor embryos not from an IVF patient's eggs, but embryos "left over" from a DE cycle. I think you might have much better embryo quality that way.

xoxo,
Kat

Danasingle · 06-07-2008, 06:31 PM

Thanks for your good wishes.

Excellent point Kat. I've found a rare instance with 2-3, blasts, but think that would be a little risky thawing so few.

Will keep looking.

Dana

06-05-2008, 04:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
Danasingle 5000-9999 post king of hearts Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Western Canada Posts: 8,324	Shared donor egg cycle with new sperm donor vs donor embryo?? Warning - Children mentioned: My complicated decisions just got more complicated. My children's sperm donor has a reported boy born with Autism. Plus my child may have a genetic problem that the donor's family may have shared too. So do what? Switch donors? So using donor egg would mean the child(ren) would not be gentically-related to mine at all. So then what? Use donor embryo, because I could afford to try twice instead of only once with shared egg donor cycle? (The 50% live birth rate with a shared cycle makes me nervous too.) The success rate for donor embryos is what? 20% per transfer of 2-4 embryos? These decisions are getting more difficult. Would value your views. I am single and have no partner to bounce this off with. Dana

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06-05-2008, 05:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
tab11 300-399 post 5 of hearts Join Date: May 2007 Location: The West Posts: 395	Dana, sorry you're being faced with these difficult decisions. If you decide to switch donors, losing the biological connection to your current children, I would just go ahead and use donor embryos. The nice thing about donor embryos is that right off the bat you know what you're working with as far as embryo quality and quantity. You don't have to go through the agonizing process of finding just the right egg donor, sweating it out through the stim phase, sweating out the ER and fertilization. Having just gone through my 2nd failed DE-IVF (1st DE-IVF ended in m/c) I can definitely see the benefits of using donor embryos. Plus like you said, you'll have the benefit of trying twice if needed. One downside is that it is an FET, which has lower success rates than a fresh ET. Can't really give you advice on whether you actually want to switch sperm donors because of the autism and possible genetic problem. I would recommend talking with a geneticist about that. Good luck with your decision. Let us know what path you decide to take.

06-05-2008, 10:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Danasingle 5000-9999 post king of hearts Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Western Canada Posts: 8,324	Thank you for sharing your opinion Tab. Good idea about speaking with a geneticist. Good point too about some of the 'agony' of waiting to find out if the egg donor decides to go through with the cycle, or responds well, etc. I'm finding it rather an emotionallly-big step to go from full-genetically-related siblings, then skipping half-related and going to straight adoption---although I would carry the baby. Dana

06-06-2008, 05:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
HappyJen Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 22	I don't have any advice, but wanted to give you a great big ((HUG))

06-07-2008, 06:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
hoping2bmamaKat Guest Location: NY, US Posts: n/a Blog Entries: 37	Hey Dana -- It is a big step to go to donor embryo, from DE with the same donor sperm you've been using. I guess you'd have to sort through the pros and cons of both possibilities. For what it's worth, I don't think it will matter to your DD's; they'll probably be thrilled with their new sibling no matter what! If donor embryo gives you a better chance of success, and/or an extra chance to try, I think it would be worth it. Plus, as has been mentioned, it's less stressful. The only thing is that I'd be sure to use donor embryos not from an IVF patient's eggs, but embryos "left over" from a DE cycle. I think you might have much better embryo quality that way. xoxo, Kat

06-07-2008, 06:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
Danasingle 5000-9999 post king of hearts Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Western Canada Posts: 8,324	Thanks for your good wishes. Excellent point Kat. I've found a rare instance with 2-3, blasts, but think that would be a little risky thawing so few. Will keep looking. Dana