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Donor Concierge FAQs

We're here to help every step of the way.

The process of searching for an egg donor, sperm donor, or surrogate can bring up many questions – some emotional, some finanical, and some logisitical. At Donor Concierge, our case managers take pride in addressing each question thoughtfully. Here are some of the most frequent we receive.

    Process FAQs

    • We have been doing this work for longer than anyone. We have a very holistic, yet finely tuned process of helping people find all the resources they will need. We're experts and we believe our value lies in our expertise and our connections within this field.

    • We cannot guarantee that you will find a match, that would be dishonest and we can only provide you with candidates that are available at the time of your search. However, we can guarantee that our Case Managers will provide one of the more extensice searches available coupled with expert advice on the best way to proceed, increasing your chance of success.

    • Donor Concierge is built upon the research we have done over the last 20 years to develop relationships with hundreds of agencies and other fertility professionals. All of our agency partners are vetted by us. When we help you with the match, we will share with you the agency's background information and their policy vs. other agency partners. We will review the surrogate's medical records based on your doctor's requirements.

    • Yes, we can! We have a 'Parent to Parent' program - these are former clients who are willing to connect with you to answer questions about their experience not just with Donor Concierge but also with their donor conception and gestational surrogacy journey.

    • Booking a combination search with us is called a Bundle and we'll discount the full cost by $500 (rather than separate bookings). We'll start with the egg donor search first and, once your chosen donor cycle has begun, we'll start working on your surrogate search.

      Egg Donor FAQs

      • All clinics prefer local donors, and/or those from their in-house donor program because the donor is already known to the clinic. However, it's important that you feel comfortable with your donor choice. Most clinics will work with donors outside of their local area since the goal is to have you feel comfortable moving forward. Please read ‘What is a Travel Cycle and How Does it Work?’

      • If a young woman is a first time donor, she will most likely had no testing at all, beyond a review of her self-reported medical history. A handful of agencies do some baseline fertility testing such as a AMH or antral follicle count. While a repeat donor may have had some testing, she may need to have these repeated based on her age and how long it’s been since her last donation. A donor must be officially matched before she can have genetic testing - she needs to be under the care of a doctor who can interpret the results on her behalf.

      • We work with agencies that have solid reputations for carefully screening candidates. Potential egg donor candidates are asked to provide identification documentation, photographs and undergo extensive interviews with the agencies. They emphasize the need for being truthful, especially when it comes to medical history. While we can never know if anyone is being completely truthful, it’s our experience that most donors understand the need to be transparent and honest.

      • Some intended parents ask to meet their egg donors before matching, or even during the match. This can be very successful for both parties - the egg donor feels a connection to the person/people she is donating to, and the intended parents have a sense of comfort to meet the person who is giving them a precious gift. This is something we would need to know before we do the search for your donor, so that we can explain this to agencies before matching. Many donors are delighted to meet their recipients but some are not and it’s important to respect that decision.

      • Egg donors don’t just “do it for the money”; many young women see egg donation as a special way to help people who are struggling to build their families, at a time when they are not using their eggs.

      • Definitely not. The donor contributed a small part of her body. You will be the person who raises your child, who nurtures and loves him/her. The donor plays a special role, but she is not your child’s mother.

        LGBTQ+ FAQs

        • Lots! 25% of our clients identify as LGBTQ+. Plus, our entire team has been accredited by Family Equality, an organization that provides 'Open Door' training to help companies understand the needs of LGBTQ+ intended parents.

        • Yes! Most are, but we will always review any surrogate candidates family preferences before presenting them to you.

        • We work with many male couples who will both contribute sperm. Finding a donor who will produce a lot of eggs is not always predictable. We suggest introducing the idea of doing two cycles with the donor in the event that her cycle does not yield as many eggs as you'd hoped. Remember, you've also got genetic testing which now includes three people. Most donors are open to this possibility.

        • While many donors are open to meeting intended parents and the children borne from their donation, being a part of the child's life may not be something they'd planned for. A mental health therapist experienced in donor conception can help you navigate this relationship. It's important to have these conversations before you match with a donor, and understand that you may want limited contact.

        • Absolutely! We've worked with many HIV+ intended parents. We'll walk you through the whole process.

          Surrogacy FAQs

          • We have connections to nearly 70 surrogacy agencies, who share profiles of available candidates with us regularly.

          • We share one candidate at a time, up to four. We've reviewed the surrogate candidate's medical records ahead of time and given our pre-approval, and we are confident that the surrogate will be approved by your clinic.

          • All of our agency partners have been rigourously vetted. We've been working with many of them for nearly two decades.

          • Health insurance is a complicated issue. We can't guarantee that we can find you a surrogate who has surrogacy-friendly insurance. But, we have partnerships with many insurance brokers who can review any plans and provide options. We do suggest you set aside part of your budget for insurance coverage.

          • While the fee schedule from the surrogacy agency will likely be based on milestones, you'll be expected to fully fund escrow before the start of the journey. This is for the protection of all involved, particularly the surrogate herself.

          • Qualified surrogate candidates are matched very quickly. Our process is highly personalized to your needs and we're confident that candidates we present are likely to be approved by your clinic. This is one of the most important goals of matching with a gestational carrier.

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