NOVA did its first successful embryo donation in 1989. Embryo donation uses
cryopreserved embryos that are no longer wanted by couples whose eggs and sperm were used to create them.
Contrary to common believe, there are not scores of unwanted embryos available for donation across the
infertility clinics in this country. By far, most of the cryopreserved embryos are thawed and transferred into
the patient's uterus. Only a small proportion of cryopreserved embryos become available for donation.
Before donated embryos can be thawed and transferred, the recipient's uterus must be prepared by
hormonal stimulation to receive the embryos. This is a relatively simple and not very expensive process.
There is no difference in the probability of pregnancy whether the embryos are transferred
into the uterus of the genetic mother or a woman totally unrelated to her.
