Becoming Parents
We’re the UK’s first and only dedicated egg bank, with the largest number of egg freezing and thawing cycles in the country. We encourage egg donation in the UK to help people from all walks of life build a family of their own.
What is IVF With Surrogacy?
Treatments for same-sex parenthood might seem a little different, but we've helped many men with their choices to build a family of their own.
Most same-sex couples and single men need to use an egg donor for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and then a surrogate to carry the baby until it’s born. There are also women who due to their medical history need a surrogate. Whatever your situation, choosing to use donated eggs to achieve a pregnancy is a big decision that requires consideration and planning. We’re here to help.
Success Rates
We manage the egg donation process from start to finish to ensure the highest quality of eggs. As a result of our consistent and reliable approach, over 150 healthy babies have been born through frozen eggs. Our success rates show you our focused approach really works.
Egg thawing survival rate
Cumulative pregnancy rate after one embryo transfer from a single cohort of donated eggs
Cumulative pregnancy rate after two embryo transfers from a single cohort of donated eggs
How does it work?
The Surrogacy Process
Our friendly team will help answer initial questions and book a consultation with one of our fertility consultants, who will review your medical history, along with any treatment or investigations you’ve already had elsewhere, and recommend the best course of treatment for you.
You can expect to have some blood tests, and an analysis of a semen sample. Sperm needs to be quarantined for 91-180 days depending on the screening process before treatment can begin.
Your surrogate will need a scan and some blood tests. Evidence of legal advice concerning the surrogacy is required. A safeguarding letter will be sent to your and your surrogate’s GPs separately before starting treatment.
We ask all patients who are considering conception with donor eggs to see an independent counsellor to help understand the broader implications and make informed decisions. Your surrogate will need to have a separate counselling session, followed by a joint counselling session together.
Our dedicated egg donation coordinator will meet with you to discuss the programme and any tests needed. You will also be introduced to our online donor database and personalised matching service.
Once a donor is chosen and agreed, you’ll see your doctor to discuss your personal treatment plan. Then you’ll have a consultation with our senior nurse experienced in surrogacy. She will arrange for your pre-treatment screening tests and all necessary consents so that your surrogate can start her treatment.
If your surrogate is married, she and her husband will be the legal parents of the child until you and your partner apply for a parental order. If your surrogate is single and you are using your own sperm, you and your surrogate will be the legal parents until you transfer the legal parentage via parental order.
Your surrogate will need hormone treatment for about 17 - 18 days before transfer to prepare her womb for embryo implantation. Our specialists will monitor her closely with ultrasound scans throughout.
Donor eggs are fertilised in our lab with sperm from you, your partner or a sperm donor. Fertilised eggs are usually cultured as embryos for five to six days, until they reach the blastocyst stage.
You’ll be updated by our senior embryologist on the progress of fertilisation, and will book a date and time for embryo transfer. The best embryo will be transferred under ultrasound guidance into your surrogate’s womb. This is a simple and painless process without need for anaesthetic.
Most women only have one embryo transferred to avoid the risks of multiple pregnancy. Remaining embryos can be frozen and stored for future use should another cycle be needed or for sibling pregnancy.
After the embryo transfer, you will be given a date for a pregnancy test and details of medication. This will be taken up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
We also offer an early pregnancy scan 3- 4 weeks after the pregnancy test to check for fetal heartbeat.
Find Your Donor
We can help you find your perfect match from our large choice of UK-recruited egg donors. Our smart, altruistic donors come from a diverse range of backgrounds.
SURROGATE
Patient Stories
Does a donor have legal parental rights?
Can I have more than one baby from the same donor?
UK Surrogacy Regulations
Surrogacy is legal in the UK, but any surrogacy agreement cannot be enforced by law. If you use a surrogate, she will be the child's legal parent at birth and their spouse or civil partner would be the second parent, unless the surrogate did not give permission.
Legal parenthood is transferred by parental order or adoption after the child is born, and we can support you through the processes you need to follow to protect yourselves and the child.
You can find out more about the legal side of fertility treatments for same-sex couples on the HFEA website.
Egg donation
If eggs are donated through a licensed UK clinic, the egg donor will not be the legal parent of any child born as a result of their donation, and will have no legal connection to the child. When the child reaches 18, they have the right to request identifying information about the donor from the HFEA.
Get Started
You set the pace. We’re here for you when you’re ready to start.