Donation & Surrogacy

Access Kofinas Fertility Group’s donation and surrogacy program to become a happy parent.

Many women who have been unable to conceive, but who want to experience motherhood, turn to egg (oocyte) donation. Egg donation is the process whereby a woman donates eggs that can be used for you to achieve pregnancy. It is highly successful for treating women who struggle with fertility. Egg donation can be recommended in cases of:

• Advanced maternal age
• Difficulty achieving pregnancy
• Premature ovarian failure (when menopause occurs much earlier than normal)
• Diminished ovarian reserve (eggs are low quality)
• Diseases that can be genetically transmitted to your child
• Failed fertility treatments with your own eggs
• Problems with the uterus
• Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
• Other conditions that make pregnancy impossible or high-risk

Donor eggs are screened for optimum health.

Through our egg donation program here at Kofinas Fertility Group in New York, we screen donors to ensure they are physically and psychologically healthy. Screening includes health tests and a thorough interview regarding their full medical history. Other tests for the donor include:

• Drug screenings
• Blood testing for various genetic illnesses
• Ultrasound and physical exam
• Psychological evaluation
• Infectious disease screening

Sperm donation as an effective alternative.

If male fertility is a factor contributing to conception difficulty, donor sperm is often an effective alternative. Donor sperm can be used in treatments like artificial insemination (IUI), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT), surrogacy, and in vitro fertilization (IVF). You can select your donor sperm based on desired attributes, such as:

• Eye color
• Hair color
• Ethnicity
• Weight
• Height
• Profession
• Education

How surrogacy can help you.

If a woman is unable to sustain a pregnancy, surrogacy is an option to conceive. It’s important to choose a surrogate that has had a complete medical history evaluation to assess the likelihood of a healthy, full-term pregnancy. Surrogate candidates should be tested for immunity to measles, rubella, and chickenpox. The surrogate should also be screened for infectious diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, cytomegalovirus, and hepatitis B and C. In addition, there are a few standard criteria your surrogate should possess:

• She has already given birth to at least one healthy baby. This means she understands the medical risks of pregnancy and childbirth as well as the emotional issues of a bonding with a newborn
• She passes a psychological screening performed by a mental health professional to ensure emotional stability
• She willingly signs a contract agreeing to her role and responsibilities in the pregnancy to ensure prenatal care, and to relinquish the baby after birth
• She is at least 21 years of age
• She isn’t motivated solely by compensation

Surrogates: What are your options?

• Traditional surrogate – A traditional surrogate is a woman who is artificially inseminated with the father’s sperm (donor sperm can also be used) and her own egg. She carries the baby to term and delivers it for the parents to raise. Because her own eggs were used, traditional surrogates are the baby’s biological mother.
• Gestational surrogate – With in vitro fertilization, gestational surrogates use other eggs (like those from the mother who cannot sustain pregnancy) and sperm to make an embryo that is placed into the uterus of the gestational surrogate. A gestational surrogate has no genetic ties to the child, because her egg was not used.

At Kofinas Fertility Group, we offer a variety of surrogacy resources to make your dreams of having a baby a reality. We’ll work with you to help you decide which option is right for you, and develop a fertility plan designed for your needs.

If you are interested in donation and surrogacy, or to request an appointment,
call 718-736-2218. You can also request an appointment using our easy online form.