National Embryo Donation Center

Requirements for Embryo Donation through the National Embryo Donation Center when your embryos are stored at ReproTech, Ltd.
It is important for you to contact ReproTech, Ltd. (RTL) first prior to making any arrangements to donate your embryos.  RTL is able to assist you in determining which programs your embryos may qualify for, as well as eliminate unnecessary or duplicate steps which may occur if RTL is not "in the loop" from the beginning.

RTL has a good working relationship with the NEDC and has helped to facilitate numerous transfers of embryos to their facility to await qualification for donation.

Embryo donors are required to complete a notarized Authorization to Specimen Transfer and Medical Information release prior to the release of the embryos to National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC).

The NEDC will require completion of (among other consents) a three-generation medical/genetic history, a consent to donate, and additional blood testing. 

Additional fees may be assessed by RTL if the donor embryos are not shipped within 30 days of the end of your current prepaid storage period.  Those fees are assessed at the rate of $106 per quarter, which is the minimum storage period offered by RTL.

For information on the National Embryo Donation Center, use this link; NEDC

Contact RTL if you have any questions or would like to donate your embryos through the NEDC.

Donating through various Embryo Donation/Adoption Agencies

Requirements for Embryo Donation through various Embryo Donation\Adoption agencies when your embryos are in storage at ReproTech, Ltd.
It is important for you to contact ReproTech, Ltd. (RTL) first prior to making any arrangements to donate your embryos.  A current RTL embryo storage client, who identifies a donor embryo recipient through another agency, must complete RTL’s embryo donor protocol, as stated in RTL’s Embryo Cryostorage Agreement, prior to shipment of the embryos to use by the intended recipient.

Embryo donors are required to complete a three-generation medical/genetic history, have their physician complete a reproductive donor physical examination, sign a consent to donate, complete a 30-60 minute phone consultation with RTL’s consulting clinical social worker, and complete additional blood testing.

The donor(s) must pre-pay RTL for all fees associated with completing donor embryo eligibility determination protocol. If the embryo donors are approved by RTL and the recipients complete the RTL protocol and take ownership of the donor embryos, these fees may be refunded to the donor(s).  Additional fees may be assessed by RTL if the donation process is not completed within 30 days of the end of your current prepaid storage period.  Those fees are assessed at the rate of $106 per quarter, which is the minimum storage period offered by RTL.

Contact RTL if you have any questions or would like to start the process of donation.

Donating through Your Clinic

Requirements for Embryo Donation through the Originating Clinic

Contact RTL if you are a current ReproTech cryostorage client wanting to donate your embryos through the clinic where you underwent your IVF procedures.

Many clinics which work with ReproTech for long term storage of their former patients' embryos, also have active embryo donation programs, and prefer to provide donation services "in-house".  There are some advantages to this, the biggest being that the laboratory at the clinic should be very familiar with the cryopreservation system used to freeze and thaw your embryos, and thus have the possibility of a better outcome when compared to a laboratory which has not used that particular system before.

While we live in a relatively "transient" society today, donation at the clinic you used does increase the likelihood that any resulting children will be located nearer to you.  You may view this as a positive, especially if the donation is an "open" donation and you wish to maintain contact with the recipient(s) and\or children.

As your embryos are being stored in a ReproTech facility and you have a cryostorage agreement with ReproTech, it is best to start the process with ReproTech who will then coordinate the transfer of your embryos back to the clinic for donation.

Keep in mind that you are responsible for storage fees until your embryos are transferred back to the IVF center.  Additionally, depending on previous arrangements with the center, you may incur shipping fees.

ReproTech, Ltd. Embryo Donation Program

Requirements for Embryo Donation through ReproTech, Ltd.
Embryo donors are required to complete a three-generation medical/genetic history, sign a consent to donate, complete a 30-60 minute phone consultation with RTL’s consulting clinical social worker, and complete additional blood testing. There is no charge for these services to qualify as embryo donors. If the embryo donors are approved for RTL’s Donor Embryo Program, they will be reimbursed for their time and inconvenience.

If donor eggs or sperm were used to create the embryos, the embryos may not qualify for RTL's donation program.  Embryo donation is allowed if donors are in compliance with FDA Regulations and American Association of Tissue Bank Standards.

ReproTech administers anonymous embryo donations. Known or directed donations will also be facilitated, however, we do not provide matching services for known donations.  For known donations to occur, the donor and recipient must already have made contact and agreed upon their level of involvement.


Becoming A Recipient of Donor Embryos
RTL has a waiting list of potential recipients for donor embryos. For information about wait time to receive donor embryos, contact RTL directly.

The fees for donor embryos include:

$2300 - Donor Embryo Fee
$ 430 - Shipping (roundtrip, two tanks, most shipments require two tanks)

Additional fees may be assessed if additional serology/genetic testing was done on the donors. If the donor embryos are not shipped within 30 days, a storage fee is assessed, payable yearly ($400) or quarterly ($106).

Contact RTL if you have any questions or would like to become a recipient of donor embryos.

Embryo Donation for Research

Embryo Donation for Research Options
ReproTech, Ltd., strives to provide our clients with disposition options which both meet the clients' desires as well as providing opportunities for the advancement of science.

There are many factors which must be evaluated when donation for research is considered.  While embryonic stem cell research is likely to be in a growth phase over the next several years, due to the likely increase of federal funding, many of the specific requirements for eligibility of the embryos (mainly having to do with how the embryos were created) will remain in place, and thus limit or deny the use of some embryos for stem cell research.  Currently,  when the embryos were created with an anonymous gamete donor, we are only able to facilitate those embryo donations with Stanford Biobank.  In almost all cases, patients wishing to donate their embryos for research will be required to complete specific consent forms approved by the Institutional Review Board of each research facility.

RTL is happy to provide several alternatives for research.  RTL has established relationships with programs across the US which are involved in many different types of research, from basic laboratory research to genomics research to stem cell research.  RTL has pre-screened these programs for the essential requirements for performing embryonic research.  Please use the links below to learn more about the various research programs.

Embryonic Research options:

• Stanford University
• University of Michigan
• University of Minnesota

RTL requires documentation of final disposition, including notarized signatures of our patients.  When you are ready to make a donation of your embryos, or if you just have questions, please contact us and we would be happy to explain the process.

Embryo Donation Options

Requirements for Embryo Donation

Now is the time to think about the future of your embryos.

The reality of infertility can be devastating, as you well know. For many couples, their only hope of achieving a full-term pregnancy begins with donated embryos.

Have you considered what you will do with the embryos you have in storage already or will be storing? Of course, continued storage is the first option many couples choose. But at some point, continued storage may not be practical. When that time comes, some couples will choose to destroy their embryos, while some will choose to donate their embryos to help other couples achieve pregnancy.

Once their family is complete, most couples cannot justify the expense of long-term storage, nor can they rationalize destroying the embryos that were the key to their joy. These are tough choices to make... and for every couple, it is different. That is why many choose what appears to be their best choice...Donation.

Embryo donation is a wonderful gift, but as you would expect the steps required go far beyond just agreeing to donate your embryos.  Each program has multiple steps and requirements before a donation is complete.  Further, not all embryos will qualify for each donation program, the number, stage and quality of your embryos will need to be evaluated as well as the source of the gametes (was a sperm or egg donor used).  If considering donation, please call us so that we can review your records and the qualification requirements for each program prior to your investing time and effort in a program for which your embryos may not qualify.

ReproTech is available to help facilitate embryo donation for you.  We administer an active anonymous embryo donation program in house, making it easy for you to work with one person through the whole process.  However, we also facilitate donations through individual clinics as well as national embryo donation programs.

For more information on your options, please use the links below.

ReproTech, Ltd. Embryo Donation Program

Donating through your originating clinic (not available at all clinics)

Donating through various Embryo Donation\Adoption Agencies

National Embryo Donation Center

Becoming A Recipient of Donor Embryos
Most, if not all, programs typically have a waiting list of potential recipients for donor embryos.  The number of patients seeking donated embryos far exceeds the number of patients who choose to donate their cryopreserved embryos.

Contact RTL if you have any questions or would like to become a recipient of donor embryos.