egg donors

For a growing number of gay dads, egg donation and surrogacy can be a way to grow a family. However, the laws governing these options can vary from state to state, and it's important to understand the legal landscape before pursuing either route. In this article, we’ll discuss some things to know as you begin your journey.

Can gay men legally become parents?

Gay men can absolutely become parents, but the legal landscape surrounding LGBTQ+ parenting rights can be complex, and there are still some challenges that gay dads may unfortunately face. You’ll need a great lawyer who knows the specific laws of your state (if you work with Cofertility, we can help you find one). 

There are no federal laws that prevent gay men from using donor eggs and a gestational carrier, but the laws can vary depending on the state. Some states have laws that specifically prohibit surrogacy arrangements, or only allow it when both parents are genetically related to the child. Other states make it difficult to get both parents on the birth certificate. 

Surrogacy and egg donation laws by state

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has a comprehensive guide to surrogacy laws across the United States. The guide outlines the surrogacy laws for each state, including whether surrogacy is legal, the type of surrogacy arrangements permitted, the eligibility criteria for intended parents and gestational carriers, and any specific legal requirements, such as pre-birth orders or post-birth adoption procedures. 

In general, the states that are currently most difficult (or impossible!) include: 

• Arizona expressly prohibits surrogacy. Arizona courts sometimes grant pre-birth parentage orders when both the Intended Parents are genetically related to the child. If an egg donor is used and at least one of the Intended Parents is genetically related to the child, a pre-birth order may be possible, depending on the judge. Second-parent adoptions are also prohibited in Arizona.
• Indiana law makes gestational surrogacy contracts void and unenforceable as against public policy. While some courts have begun issuing pre-birth parentage orders, they are usually not granted if an egg donor was used. 
• Louisiana only allows surrogacy for married heterosexual couples who are both genetically related to the child (i.e., neither a sperm or egg donor was used).
• Michigan considers surrogacy contracts to be void and unenforceable. Courts may still grant pre-birth orders if no payment or compensation has been made to the surrogate, but they will not allow second-parent adoptions.
• Nebraska considers surrogacy contracts to be void and unenforceable, however “the language of the statute does allow surrogacy practice in limited scenarios”. 

Remember that laws can be complex and change at any time, so it's crucial to consult with an experienced reproductive lawyer to ensure you understand the legal implications in your specific situation. If you work with Cofertility, we can help you find a great lawyer to help navigate this process.

What is second-parent adoption?

Even if a child is biologically related to one of the dads, without a legal adoption, the non-biological parent may not have any legal parenting rights to their child. This means that if the biological parent passes away or becomes incapacitated, the non-biological parent, even if they have been an equal parent, may not have any legal rights to parenting. This is where second-parent adoption comes in.

In some states, the non-biological parent may be able to establish legal parentage through a pre-birth order or a marriage or domestic partnership. However, second-parent adoption is often the most secure way for non-biological parents to establish their parental rights and ensure that their child is legally protected.

Individual state laws surrounding this process can be complex. The National Center for Lesbian Rights has a great PDF outlining Adoption by LGBT Parents. The states that make it hardest for unmarried same-sex couples include:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Mississippi
• Nebraska
• North Carolina
• Ohio 
• Utah
• Wisconsin 

It is essential to work with an experienced attorney who can guide you through the legal landscape and ensure that your family is protected.

The good news is that "parentage" laws are passing in many states that legally protect LGBTQ+ families. These laws recognize a non-biological parent as a legal parent without requiring a costly and time-consuming second parent adoption process. 

What is a pre-birth order?

A pre-birth order is a legal document that establishes the intended parents as the legal parents of a child before the child is born. Without a pre-birth order, the state law would presume that the person giving birth is the biological and legal parent of the child. 

A pre-birth order is important because it ensures that your parental rights are established from the moment of birth.  The laws surrounding pre-birth orders vary by state, and the requirements for obtaining one can be complex. In some states, like Alabama, the intended parents must be married in order to obtain a pre-birth order.

Summing it up

For a growing number of gay dads, egg donation and surrogacy can be a way to grow a family. However, the laws governing these options can vary from state to state, and it's important to understand the legal landscape and protect your family. 

If there’s anything to take away from this article, it’s the importance of working with an experienced attorney (we can introduce you to one!) who is familiar with the laws in your state to ensure that your parental rights are protected. Your attorney can help guide you through the process of obtaining a pre-birth order and ensure that all necessary legal requirements are met. We wish you all the best!

Read more:

• LGBTQ+ Fertility Information and Resources
• What Fertility Options are Out There for LGBTQ Families?
• The Gay Dad's Guide to Egg Donation
• How to Start a Family as a Single Dad by Choice

‍Cofertility is a human-first fertility ecosystem rewriting the egg freezing and egg donation experience. Our Family by Co platform serves as a more transparent, ethical egg donor matching platform. We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive. Create a free account today!

More and more people are turning to donor eggs to grow their families. In fact in 2021, there was a 19% year-over-year increase in the number of donor egg cycles in the United States. As more donor egg matches are being made every day, the industry is changing quickly. What used to be dominated by “anonymous” donations is now moving to a world of disclosure. 

Just five years ago, most donations were made without the intended parent ever meeting the egg donor. But we’re changing that. For the vast majority of matches made at Cofertility, the parent(s) and egg donor meet during the matching period and moving forward with a cycle. Most of these meetings happen on the phone, through Zoom, or even in person. 

If you’re in this process, with Cofertility or another agency, you may be wondering whether or not you should meet the donor before moving forward. This is a deeply personal decision, and in this article we will give you some important considerations to help you make an informed decision.

Questions to ask yourself first

Before deciding whether or not to meet an egg donor, it is essential to reflect on your feelings and motivations. Here are some key questions to consider:

• What are my reasons for wanting to meet the egg donor?
• Would meeting the egg donor impact or gain confidence in my decision?
• Can I meet the donor while maintaining discretion? 
• What are my expectations for the meeting, and am I prepared for them to not be met?

Benefits of meeting your egg donor before matching

The world of egg donation was traditionally shrouded in secrecy and shame, and not meeting the egg donor was a product of this secrecy. But there is no shame or embarrassment about how your family comes to be. You should be proud that you moved mountains to have your baby. 

Ultimately, the decision to meet the egg donor is yours and an option we believe families and donors should have. After all, a meeting is typical before moving forward with a gestational carrier. So why shouldn’t it be offered to those involved in egg donation?

One benefit of meeting the egg donor before moving forward is to become more confident in your decision. We created our donor profiles to be more human-centered and we think they’re great at showcasing the amazing donors at Cofertility. But you may just want a 30 minute conversation to feel like you know them a little better. This is especially helpful if you’re the type of person who has good instincts about people you meet.

Some families say that meeting the donor helped provide a sense of clarity and peace of mind, allowing them to connect with the person helping them to grow their family. We’ve also heard the same from donors, who feel even more committed to the process after meeting the families. 

Keep in mind that meeting the egg donor doesn’t mean you have to have a relationship. And the meetings can happen without sharing last names. A meeting is just that, a way to meet and get to know each other a little better. 

What should I say when meeting my potential egg donor?

If you decide that you would like to meet your potential egg donor, we will set everything up and provide guidance for the conversation. We can facilitate a phone or video meeting between you and the donor during the matching period.

When you meet your egg donor, it is important to have a plan for the conversation, but let it flow naturally. Cofertility will provide conversation starters ahead of the meeting, but here’s what to expect.

Some questions both parties can answer:

• Where are you from? Where do you live now? What do you do for work?
• What you enjoy doing in your spare time (ex. concerts, biking, running, gardening, etc.)
• What are you passionate about? (ex. animals, causes, food, etc.)
• What is something people are always surprised to learn about you?

Some questions you can answer for the donor:

• What has been your fertility journey so far?
• What does your dream family look like?
• How did you and your partner meet (if applicable)?
• What excites you most about being a parent?

Some questions you may want to ask the donor:

• Why did you join Cofertility and decide to donate your eggs?
• If comfortable, do you think about building your own family one day?

It is crucial to approach the conversation with sensitivity and respect, recognizing that the egg donor has her own boundaries and expectations for the relationship.

Is it okay if I don’t want to meet the egg donor?

It is entirely normal to have reservations about meeting the egg donor, and it's entirely okay if you don't want to meet them. The process of selecting an egg donor can be emotionally draining, and meeting the donor may bring up emotions that one may not be ready to handle. 

Summing it up

The decision to meet your egg donor is a deeply personal one, and there is no universal right or wrong answer. For some, meeting their donor can provide a sense of closure and peace of mind. For others, it may not be desirable. Ultimately, the most important thing is to make the decision that feels right for you and your family. Regardless of whether or not you decide to meet your egg donor, we think having the option is the most important thing. 

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Going through fertility treatment can be full of stress, fear, sadness, and even shame. One of you may feel hopeful that donor egg IVF will work, while the other is afraid and not very sure. There are countless doctor visits, endless paperwork, and thousands of dollars being spent. In-between comes finding an egg donor, egg retrieval, embryo creation, hormonal injections, and implantation. But it’s not over yet. Now comes the dreaded two-week wait to find out if all of this has been successful or not.  Although fertility treatment can give you hope and a glimmer of light, it can also steal your peace of mind, and at times, what feels like your sanity. 

A donor egg IVF cycle can be a roller-coaster of emotions and what your partner needs most during this time is support. As the partner of someone going through IVF, what can you do to ensure they feel loved, supported, and understood? 

Actively listen

One of the best things the non-carrying partner can do to help support their partner through this time is to actively listen. Don’t try to fix anything and don’t try to solve anything. Don’t interrupt and be fully present in the conversation. Ask open-ended questions and let them talk. The point is for you to listen for understanding not for responding. 

Ask questions

When times are good and treatment is going well, it is easy to know what to say and do. But when things are not going well, the opposite is very true. It can be very hard to know what to say and how to help. So in times like these, it is okay to simply ask what you can do to make your partner feel loved and supported. Sometimes support may look and feel very different depending on the situation. Asking does not mean that you don’t care, it simply means you care so much that you want to make certain their needs are being met. 

Attend appointments

As the partner, you are also part of the treatment process, regardless if you are involved medically or not, the process of getting pregnant through IVF requires that both of you are present from start to finish. Attending appointments is important for so many reasons. One is so you can tag-team asking the doctor questions, and secondly having two sets of ears can also help verify the understanding of complicated procedures. Having you there helps your partner feel that they are not alone. The doctor’s office can be cold and sterile and having a warm hand to hold can ease some of that discomfort and fear. 

Create a safe space

It can be so difficult to be vulnerable, especially if treatment is not moving according to plan. It may make one feel that they are letting everyone down. Creating a non-judgmental space for your partner to be open, vulnerable, and honest is invaluable. Give them space to tell you how they are really feeling. Be empathic, loving, and non-judgemental. Actively listen and give them time to be fully seen and heard. Intentionally set time aside to be fully present and be open to whatever emotions that may come.

Educate yourself

To really support your partner you need to know what they are going through.  One way to do this is to educate yourself about the treatments, understand the procedures, know the medical terminology, risks, side effects, and outcomes. Read books, articles, and blogs about donor egg IVF. Listen to podcasts, join groups, and ask questions. LIke the ‘90s PSA used to say, “the more you know” the more we can increase empathy and understanding.

Respect your partner’s decisions

Throughout this article I have expounded the importance of you and your partner as a team in this fertility journey. That it takes both of you from start to finish. You both agreed on this plan to grow your family. But after multiple (or maybe even one) attempt, what if they are ready to stop and you aren’t?  You can be honest with what you want and how you feel. But, don’t make guilt a driving force for them to continue with treatment if they are done. At the end of the day it is their body and whatever they choose to do with their body, respect that decision. Sometimes this isn’t so dramatic as wanting to end treatment completely. It can also look like wanting to take a break, wanting to change clinics, adding holistic treatment to the plan. Whatever it may look like, have their back and respect their choices. 

Show tangible support

Showing emotional support is obviously important. But so is taking over responsibilities or chores you don’t normally do. Things like making dinner, making sure the laundry or grocery shopping is done, the dog’s vaccines are up-to-date. Toilet paper roll empty? Replace it. Just the everyday little things that need to be done on a daily basis. Taking some of those things off their plate can relieve a lot of unnecessary stress.

Seek professional help 

Sometimes the emotional toll of IVF can be too much. It is okay to seek professional help for you, or even both of you. Support groups that specialize in donor egg IVF can be a wonderful source of psychological and emotional support. As your partner’s main support it is also important for you to find support and time for self-care as well.

Skip baby-oriented events

If you or your partner is struggling with being around children, it is okay to decline invitations to baby showers, birthdays, or family gatherings that will be full of children. These events can trigger some pretty strong emotions. So when you see that invite, take the initiative and be the one to decline and send a gift in the mail.  

If you have a partner who is going through egg donor IVF, there are many things that you can do to help support your partner through this time. What support looks like may mean different things for different people, but one of the main things is that your partner feels that you are their safe place, and ultimately can be themselves and honest with you. Remember, you are both on the same team and only want the best for each other. Knowing you can count on each other to be there when times are tough strengthens the belief that together you can face whatever life throws at you. 

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The path to parenthood can take many roads. There is no single “right way” to become a parent, so you may be debating which path is the right one for you. Two options include egg donation or adoption. 

If you’re asking yourself “should I adopt or find a donor?” then this article is for you. Here, we’ll explore the pros and cons of egg donation, adoption, and embryo donation to help you make the best decision for your family.

What Is egg donation?

The first child born from egg donation was reported in Australia in 1983 and the first American child born from egg donation was in February 1984. Before this medical intervention, for most, adoption was the only path to parenthood. Egg donation opened the door for more people to become parents. 

Egg donation is ideal for those who:

• Have experienced infertility
• Have high risks of passing on genetic disorders to their offspring
• Have diminished ovarian reserve or early menopause.
• Have had multiple unsuccessful IVF cycles
• Are single 
• Are in a same-sex relationship

Pros of using donor eggs

✅ High success rates – donor egg IVF offers higher pregnancy success rates than using one’s own eggs.
✅ Biological connection – the child may share a genetic link with one parent.
✅ Experience pregnancy – if you plan to carry the pregnancy, you can still go through pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing.
✅ Biological siblings – if you already have children, donor eggs can allow for genetic siblings.

Cons of using donor eggs

❌ Emotional considerations – Some may grieve the loss of a genetic link to the mother.
❌ Finding the right donor – The process of selecting an egg donor can take time.
❌ Financial costs – though with our Family by Co platform, we’ve removed cash compensation for donors from the equation. Instead, our donors freeze their eggs entirely for free when giving half of the eggs retrieved to your family.
❌ No guarantees – While donor eggs have higher success rates, there’s no guarantee an embryo will be created or result in pregnancy.

What is adoption?

Adoption is the legal process through which a person assumes the parenting responsibilities for someone else's biological child. The concept of adoption exists across cultures and countries and may be traced all the way back to 6th century AD Roman Law. During this time, if the family patriarch did not have a male heir, an heir could be adopted. This was important for the Romans because by adopting one another’s sons, the nobility ensured the wealth would stay within a few families. 

In the United States, the first modern adoption legislation, the Adoption of Children Act, was passed in Massachusetts in 1851. This act required judges to determine that adoptive parents had “sufficient ability to bring up the child” and that “it is fit and proper that such adoption should take effect.” 

Today there are different types of adoption, including:

• Domestic adoption – Adopting a child within your own country.
• International adoption – Adopting a child from another country.
• Open or semi-open adoption – The birth parent may have ongoing contact with the child.

Pros of adoption

✅ Providing a loving home – Adoption gives a child a stable and supportive family.

✅ Proven success – Studies have shown that adoptive children are less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol and more likely to graduate from high school and go on to college than those who remain in foster care. They are also more likely to have successful careers and strong relationships.

✅ Peace of mind for birth parents – Birth parents often feel reassured that their child is in a loving, caring home.

Cons of adoption

❌ Time-consuming process – Adoption can take 9–12 months or longer.
❌ Cost – Domestic infant adoptions can range from $40,000 to $70,000+.
❌ Birth parent rights – In some cases, birth parents may change their minds during pregnancy or up to 30 days after adoption.
❌ Ongoing birth parent involvement – Since most adoptions are open, there is a chance that the birth parent may want to be a part of the child’s life, and that may be difficult for some adopting parents.
❌ Not always inclusive – Different states have different laws on who can become an adoptive parent based on age, sexual orientation and even religious affiliation.

What is embryo donation?

Embryo donation is an option for individuals and couples who have not been successful with traditional infertility treatments. In this process, frozen embryos donated by others are transferred to the recipient’s uterus, offering an alternative to egg and sperm donation.

Pros of embryo donation

✅ Shorter wait times – Embryos are already created and available.
✅ Lower costs – Typically less expensive than egg donation and adoption.
✅ Experience pregnancy – You can still carry the pregnancy, give birth, and nurse your baby.

Cons of embryo donation

❌ Limited genetic history – Embryo donation is technically an adoption. You may not have access to the full medical history of the embryo’s biological parents.
❌ Matching delays – Although embryos are readily available, it can still take time to find the right match.
❌ No guarantee of success – As with any fertility treatment, pregnancy is not guaranteed.

Which one is right for me?

The decision to use medical intervention to conceive a child or to go through an adoption agency to start a family is an extremely personal one. As you can see above, all paths come with their own set of unique challenges. 

The best thing you can do is become educated in all your options. Get second and third expert opinions. Seek out legal counsel and ask questions.

When considering your options, think about:

• Genetic connection – If having a biological child is important to you, egg donation or embryo donation may be the right path.
• Pregnancy experience – If you want to carry a pregnancy, egg donation or embryo donation allows for that experience.
• Time and cost – Adoption can take longer and cost significantly more, while egg donation and embryo donation have higher success rates.
• Ethical and emotional considerations – Both processes come with their own set of emotional challenges, so it’s essential to be well-informed.

No matter what path you choose, you are not alone. Many families have navigated this journey before you—and each one has found the path that was meant for them.

Religion can be a great source of comfort and solace during the most difficult of times. Religion has been implicated in reduced mortality, expedited recovery from illness, and improved mental health. It can encourage healthy lifestyles, provide social support, and provide meaning to life. But it can also impact help seeking behavior, especially when it comes to fertility treatment. Religiosity has been associated with greater concerns about infertility treatment, which, in turn, decreases the likelihood of help seeking (i.e IVF, egg donation etc).

Religion and assisted reproductive technology (ART)

The use of donor gametes to create embryos can ignite some serious debate in many faith circles. Some faiths say fertility treatments go against their beliefs and should not be used, even if it means someone will never become a parent otherwise. Meanwhile, other religions have no issues with it at all, as long as certain “rules” are followed. 

A Pew Research study conducted in 2013 asked people living in the United States about the moral acceptability of using in-vitro fertilization to have a family. One-third said it is morally acceptable, 12% said it was morally wrong, and 46% said it was not even a moral issue. The survey found modest differences in opinion among social and demographic groups, including religious groups, about the moral acceptability of IVF. 

But for many religious people their religious beliefs strongly inform their understanding of fertility and parenthood. Procreation can be an important tenet of a religion along with prescribed roles for the male and female partner when it comes to parenthood. So what if you want a family and the only way that family can be created is through egg donation? And what if you are someone who holds strongly to their faith - a faith that carried you through troubled times - only to discover that very faith does not give you its blessing to have the family you have prayed for? 

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What if you are someone who holds strongly to their faith - a faith that carried you through troubled times - only to discover that very faith does not give you its blessing to have the family you have prayed for?

How do I navigate making a decision?

You want to adhere to the teachings of your religion and at the same time you also have a very strong desire to have a child.  What should you consider when deciding how you want to proceed so you can feel good about your decision? How can you find a way to remain connected to your beliefs even if your choice is different from what is taught by your religion?

Give yourself permission to imagine different options

Play your life tape forward and really imagine how it feels to go against your beliefs in order to achieve pregnancy. Now imagine how it feels to stay strong in your beliefs and never be a parent. Discuss these options with your partner. Write them down in a journal and come back to them in a few weeks. Does one evoke a bigger emotion? Does one feel better than the other? There is no right or wrong and there is no judgment - you are allowed to imagine and really think through your different options. 

Speak to trusted members of your community.

Speak to respected and trusted members of your faith community. Ask questions to fully understand what your religion’s expectations are regarding parenthood and regarding ART and IVF and donor eggs. What are your expectations? Do they match or are they very different? 

If they are different, would you ever make a decision to pursue donor egg IVF that isn’t sanctioned by your religious teachings? If yes, how would your community support you? Would you be ostracized? What does it mean to be against these teachings?  If you would never go against the teachings, then how can your religion provide guidelines about living child free? Would you be able to find peace regarding infertility from your religious teachings? Studies have shown that infertile women with higher levels of spiritual well-being reported fewer depressive symptoms and less overall distress from their infertility experience because of the support from their religious community.  

Summing it up

Faith can be an essential aspect of a person’s life. Sometimes it is possible that not all  tenants align. But that does not necessarily mean that you forsake your faith, nor does that necessarily mean you give up your desire for a family. It may mean digging even further and leaning even stronger into your faith.  It may mean exploring all your different options by researching, talking, asking questions, and praying. All of these things can open doors and create alternative paths to parenthood that you may not have ever considered.

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For many, infertility treatment — whether or not you pursue egg donation — can be a costly process, even if it provides an incredible opportunity for people who want to achieve their dreams of parenthood. Fortunately, there are several ways to finance infertility costs (including the cost of using an egg donor) with loans that can make the process more accessible, a mission of ours here at Family by Co. 

Egg donation financing options to consider

Here are some options to consider when financing the use of an egg donor:

Financing programs

Some fertility clinics offer financing programs that allow individuals and couples to pay for egg donation services over time, often with little to no interest. These programs can make the cost of egg donation more manageable by breaking it down into smaller, more affordable payments. However, it's essential to understand the terms and conditions of the financing program, including any fees or penalties that may apply.

If you’ve decided you want to go the loan route, you have many options to choose from. There are general lending companies as well as companies that specialize in loans just for fertility treatments. 

Sunfish

Sunfish makes fertility treatment attainable for all types of families. If you’re pursuing egg donation and are interested in working with Family by Co to find your perfect match, we've partnered with Sunfish to offer you fertility financial resources and support throughout your journey. Sunfish offers the most comprehensive marketplace of financial options for IVF, egg freezing, embryo preservations, gestational surrogacy, egg donations, and more, up to $100,000 at industry-low rates. 

Sunfish has also waived their application and membership fees for all intended parents who are working with Cofertility. To take advantage of Cofertility’s infertility loan partnership with Sunfish, click here.

Ally

Ally’s loans offer solutions to cover the cost of infertility treatment at select partner clinics. Fill out a form to see your lending options and choose from 24-84-month loan options with annual percentage rates (APRs) starting at 3.99%.

FutureFamily

FutureFamily offers IVF loans (including egg donation), and they handle paying all your bills so you have just one easy payment. Loans start at $150/month* for 60 months based on your clinic, credit score, and approved infertility-related expenses. While you can apply individually, the rates are better (0% APR) if you are freezing with one of their partner clinics.

Lending Club 

Lending Club offers infertility loans that cover things like genetic testing, medications, and medical procedures at select partner clinics. They forward payment directly to the providers within three business days. Monthly payments are as low as $263/month to finance $15,000 with a 7.99% APR for 72 months.

Personal loans

Personal loans can be an option to finance the cost of egg donation, but they often come with high-interest rates and fees. It's essential to compare multiple loan options, understand the terms and conditions, and consider the long-term impact of taking on debt.

Other ways to save

Tax credits

The IRS offers a tax credit of up to $13,360 for qualifying expenses related to infertility treatments, including egg donation. This credit can significantly reduce the cost of using an egg donor, but it's important to consult with a tax professional to ensure that you qualify and understand the application process.

Infertility grants

In addition to financing the process with a loan, you may want to consider applying for infertility grants. There are many programs out there with shared goals of making family-building dreams come true. We also recommend checking out your state’s mandated fertility insurance coverage to see what you may be entitled to. 

What to know about taking out a loan

When taking out a loan, you’ll want to understand the terms and conditions of the loan, as well as the responsibilities that come with borrowing a large sum of money. A lot of the websites listed above will have online calculators to help you get a sense for the terms and fees you can expect. 

Loan amount: Consider how much you want to finance and whether they finance that amount. You could finance part, or all, of the egg freezing expenses. 

Loan terms: Loan terms are the length of time you have to repay the loan, and they can range from a few months to several years. Shorter loan terms generally result in higher monthly payments, while longer loan terms result in lower monthly payments but a higher total cost over the life of the loan.

Interest rates: Interest rates are the fees charged by the lender for borrowing money, and they can have a significant impact on the total cost of the loan. Find out the current interest rate being charged, and if that interest rate will stay the same or change over time. 

Loan fees: Of course, these lending groups need to make money, and they do this through loan fees. Loan fees are the additional charges associated with taking out a loan, including origination fees, application fees, late-payment fees, or prepayment penalties. You can use the annual percentage rate (APR) to compare average yearly fee and interest-rate expenses over the term of the loan. It's important to carefully review all loan fees and to make sure you understand the total cost of the loan.

Repayment options: Repayment options are the ways in which you can pay back the loan, including monthly payments, lump sum payments, or a combination of both.

Loan security: Loan security is the collateral that you provide to the lender to secure the loan, such as a home or a car. If you fail to repay the loan, the lender may take possession of the collateral. If you're taking out a secured loan, it's important to carefully consider the risks and responsibilities associated with putting up collateral.

Finally, if you’re quoted a monthly payment, remember to look beyond the monthly payment.  Think about how long you will pay, and what fees and costs have been added. 

In summary

Infertility loans are a great option to consider when financing your path to parenthood. We’re all about making the family-building process — especially via egg donation — more accessible. Through our platform, we’re able to reduce costs for intended parents and help make sure donors aren’t put between a rock and a hard place. 

How do we do it? With Family by Co, all of the egg donors on our platform give half of their eggs retrieved to intended parents, just like you, and freeze the other half for themselves for free to preserve some of their own fertility for the future. This way, they’re able to give a life-changing gift, but also consider their own ambitions and lifestyle choices. We feel this is significantly more ethical than other donation options out there, and our intended parents love the transparent nature of our platform.

We’re thrilled to continue our mission to make egg donation a more accessible family-building option, while providing an empowering opportunity for women who want to preserve some of their reproductive future. 

Cofertility is a human-first fertility ecosystem rewriting the egg freezing and egg donation experience. Our Family by Co platform serves as a more transparent, ethical egg donor matching platform. We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive. Create a free account today!