The importance of counselling for egg donation recipients

Giving yourself time to ask questions and process your feelings about egg donation is important. By talking to a counsellor, you can be confident in your decision and understand the treatment in more detail as you look to expand your family.

Here we share how counselling helps egg recipients to ask questions and gain clarity on what to expect during fertility treatments such as surrogacy or IVF with donor eggs.

Counselling for those using donor eggs

A counsellor is there to look out for your interests and offer you a great source of information and support. Appointments last for roughly 45 minutes and can usually be synchronised with your first doctor’s appointment. As the UK’s leading virtual fertility clinic, we also offer remote appointments to those who would prefer to do their sessions from the comfort of their home. 

Processing emotions

Using donor eggs can create complex feelings. You may worry about how not being biologically related to your child may impact your relationship or have anxieties about the success of the procedure. Counselling provides a space for intended parents to explore all their emotions, concerns, and expectations with an experienced and impartial practitioner, and develop strategies for processing them.

Understanding rights

Counselling for egg donor recipients ensures that intended parents fully comprehend the legal and ethical aspects of using donor eggs. This includes understanding the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved such as if and when children can find out about their donor parent in the future.

Communication and decision-making

Counselling supports open communication between partners or intended parents about the decision to use donor eggs and helps them navigate any differences in perspectives. Recipients can discuss their values, preferences, and goals related to the donor egg process, ensuring that both partners or intended parents are on the same page.

Preparing for the future

Counselling supports you through the fertility treatment process. It’s also designed to give you the tools you need to address any challenges you may face in the future and to safeguard the wellbeing of any children conceived from donor eggs.

A counsellor will help you understand the unique background of a donor-conceived child, emphasising the importance of openness and honesty in discussing your child's origin. This includes age-appropriate ways to share information and answer questions as the child grows and matures. This understanding lays the foundation for creating a positive and supportive environment for the child's emotional development based on trust, which gives them a strong sense of security and self-identity.

Counselling will also give you valuable insight into scenarios that may arise in the future such as your child wanting to request information about their donor or experiencing emotional struggles. Within the session(s), you’ll be able to safely explore how you think you may feel about such situations and devise proactive strategies for navigating them.

In essence, counselling for egg donation is based on the sharing of honest emotions and information. It benefits all of those involved in the process by fostering a supportive environment for egg recipients and their donor-conceived children. 

If you want to know more about using donor eggs, speak with an Apricity advisor to find out more today. We provide unlimited supportive counselling for recipients as well as access to valuable resources such as the Donor Conception Network.