![]() ![]() The prospect of asking for such an important gift and the potential that the person will say “no”, can be anxiety-provoking and heighten feelings of vulnerability. However, often there has been no such offer, or you may not even have been open with others about your family building plans or your struggles with infertility. Sometimes someone has made an offer in the past or even expressed a general statement such as, “if there is anything I can do to help you…” and thus, they have paved the way for you to now ask for their assistance. How Do I Ask? Obviously, it is far more comfortable for everyone when the friend or family member comes forward and offers to be a gamete donor or GC. Before you decide to ask or accept the offer of a family member or friend to be a donor or GC, carefully consider whether it is realistic for that individual to commit to the process at the current time. Also be aware of the potential medical and psychological risks (e.g., perceiving the resulting offspring as their own (for donors) difficulty relinquishing the baby (for GCs) of treatment for a donor or GC. Speak with your doctor and the practice’s mental health professional to find out exactly what will be required of the donor or GC during the work-up and treatment process. Prior to the initiation of treatment, there is usually a medical and psychosocial evaluation process. Second, gamete donation and gestational surrogacy requires a significant commitment of time and often, emotional energy, on the part of the donor or GC. ![]() Before you ask or accept the offer of a family member or friend to help you create your family, you should have an idea of minimum qualifications. This is related to important medical information obtained when a woman has experienced pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum adjustment period, as well as the ability to provide full informed consent since a potential GC cannot anticipate how it would feel to relinquish a child unless she has previously given birth. ![]() Likewise, most practices require that a GC has previously carried a pregnancy to term and delivered a child. For example, your medical practice may have established a minimum and maximum age range for gamete donors and GCs. Who is an Appropriate Candidate to Be a Known Gamete Donor or GC? First, check with your treating physician to identify basic requirements for a known donor or GC. Finally, in some situations, the use of a known gamete donor or GC may decrease the cost of and/or the waiting time to receive treatment. It also creates an opportunity for the donor or GC to be known to the child, develop some form of a relationship with the child, and in the case of gamete donation, for the child to have access to updated health information. When we include friends, as well as family members, the preference for a known arrangement may be a matter of trust there is a perception that the donor or GC will provide greater and more accurate medical, educational and social history. Other individuals find solace in maintaining a broad family connection and may wish to work with a brother-in-law as a sperm donor, or a sister-in-law as an egg donor or GC. In a same-sex couple, the assistance of a family member as an egg or sperm donor can also allow for a genetic connection to both members of the couple. A strong familial resemblance between the donor and recipient may also be an important factor in the decision. First, in the case of egg and sperm donation, if the donor is a relative, there may be a sense of comfort in using gametes with some type of genetic link. Why Choose to Work With a Known Gamete Donor or GC? There are numerous reasons why an individual or couple may consider building their family with the assistance of a known gamete donor or GC. A known gamete donor or GC is a family member, friend, or acquaintance with whom the recipients or intended parents have a preexisting relationship. Once an individual or couple feels comfortable moving forward with third-party reproduction, the next decision involves whether to use a known or unidentified/previously unknown gamete donor or gestational carrier (GC). Choosing this family building option ultimately involves grieving the loss of having a child who is genetically related to both or either of you, and/or grieving the loss of the experience of pregnancy and carrying your child. The decision to create your family with the assistance of third-party reproduction i.e., donor egg, donor sperm, or gestational surrogacy is a difficult one. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |