Donating Embryos to Another Patient

Donating Your Embryos to Help Another Family

Following IVF treatment, some patients have frozen embryos remaining in storage that they no longer wish to use for their own family. One option is to donate these embryos to help another individual or couple have the opportunity to become parents.

Embryo donation is a generous and thoughtful decision that can create a lasting impact for families who are unable to conceive using their own eggs or sperm. Many patients find comfort in knowing that their embryos may provide someone else with the chance to experience pregnancy and parenthood.

Is Embryo Donation Right for Me?

Choosing what to do with stored embryos can be a complex and emotional decision. Patients may choose to:

• Continue storing their embryos.
• Allow their embryos to perish.
• Donate their embryos for research or training.
• Donate their embryos to another person or couple for fertility treatment.

There is no right or wrong choice, and our team will support you in making the decision that feels right for you and your family.

Donating Through Kin Donor Bank

Hull & East Riding Fertility works with an external embryo donation programme, Kin Donor Bank, to provide additional opportunities for patients wishing to donate embryos to another family.

Kin Donor Bank facilitates the donation of embryos created during IVF treatment by individuals and couples who have completed their own family-building journey and wish to help others. The service aims to provide an ethical, regulated and transparent pathway for embryo donation and recipient matching.

Patients who choose this route will receive detailed information about the process, eligibility requirements and any additional counselling or consent requirements that may apply. Kin Donor Bank | Fertility Bank | London, UK

The Donation Process

If you are considering donating your embryos, you will be invited to discuss the process with a member of our fertility team. This may include:

• Reviewing your medical and family history.
• Completing the necessary consent forms.
• Undertaking screening tests where required.
• Attending implications counselling to discuss the emotional, legal and practical aspects of donation.

The suitability of embryos for donation will be assessed in accordance with regulatory requirements and clinic policies.

Counselling and Implications Discussions

Embryo donation is a significant decision and all patients are encouraged to access specialist fertility counselling before proceeding.

Counselling provides an opportunity to explore:

• Your reasons for considering donation.
• The potential future implications for you and your family.
• The rights of donor-conceived individuals.
• Information sharing and future contact arrangements.
• The emotional aspects of creating genetically related children in another family.

Many patients find these discussions invaluable in helping them make an informed decision.

Donor Identification and Future Information

In the UK, embryo donation is regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). Donor-conceived individuals have the right to access identifying information about their donors when they reach adulthood, in accordance with current legislation.

We encourage all patients considering donation to think carefully about the future needs and interests of any children born as a result of their donation.

Further Information

If you have frozen embryos in storage and would like to explore the option of donating them to another family, please contact our team. We will be happy to discuss the available pathways and provide the information and support you need to make an informed decision.

Page Last Modified: 9th June 2026