Confirm Embryo Eligibility (If Needed)
If you are unsure how many embryos you have or whether they meet donation criteria, message Embryology through your patient portal. The embryology team can review your records and confirm eligibility.
If you are donating specific embryos, embryology will also confirm which embryos may be donated.Contact the Donor Team
Once eligibility is confirmed, contact the donor team through your patient portal to initiate the donation process.
Medical Screening
Required screening includes bloodwork, a brief physical exam, and completion of medical history questionnaires.
If donor eggs or donor sperm were used to create the embryos, screening for the egg or sperm source has already been completed.Consent and Documentation
The donor team will generate a Consent to Donate to Another CNY Patient. Consents are completed electronically through EngagedMD. Separate email addresses are required for each partner.
Final Review
Once screening and consents are complete, eligible embryos are officially transferred into the CNY embryo donor program and made available to another hopeful family.
The Gift of Life
Embryo Donation
If you’ve completed your family through IVF and have embryos you don’t plan to use, you may be wondering what comes next. Embryo donation, sometimes called embryo gifting, allows you to help another CNY family build the family they’ve been dreaming of.
While there are several options for unused embryos, many patients find embryo donation to be the most meaningful choice. At CNY, we believe few things are more powerful than giving someone the opportunity to experience pregnancy and parenthood.
The Greatest Gift
Why Donate Your Embryos
For families who receive donor embryos, this path often comes after years of fertility treatment and difficult decisions. Embryo donation allows a recipient to carry and nurture a child throughout pregnancy, creating a deep physical and emotional bond.
By donating your embryos, you are offering something extraordinary: the chance for another family to experience hope, connection, and new life.
Known Vs. Anonymous Donation
Types of Embryo Donation
Everyone’s reasons for donating are personal. Some donors prefer privacy, while others feel drawn to a more open, connected experience. To honor both preferences, CNY offers two embryo donation pathways.
Anonymous
Your embryos are donated to another CNY patient without identifying information exchanged between donors and recipients. Recipients select embryos based on medical and non-identifying background information.
Known (Designated) Donation
You choose the individual or couple who will receive your embryos. “Known” does not require an existing relationship, and many donors and recipients connect online to determine whether the arrangement feels right. If you do not already have a recipient in mind, CNY hosts a private Facebook group to help connect embryo donors with individuals and families seeking donor embryos.
Embryo Eligibility Requirements
To ensure the highest chance of success for recipients, donated embryos must meet minimum criteria. These requirements apply to both anonymous and known donations.
Embryos created after January 1, 2009
A minimum of three embryos is required for donation. If the embryos have undergone PGT testing, only chromosomally normal embryos may be donated.
Embryos created before January 1, 2009
A minimum of four embryos is required, including at least two fair-quality embryos. If the embryos have undergone PGT testing, only chromosomally normal embryos may be donated.
If you are unsure whether your embryos meet these criteria, please contact Embryology through your patient portal. The embryology team can review your records and confirm eligibility.
The Process
Confirm Embryo Eligibility (If Needed)
If you are unsure how many embryos you have or whether they meet donation criteria, contact Embryology through your patient portal for confirmation.
If you are donating specific embryos, embryology must confirm which embryos will be donated.Identify a Recipient
If you already have a recipient in mind, you may move directly to the next steps.
If not, you may request access to CNY’s private Facebook group designed to help connect embryo donors with individuals and families seeking donor embryos by messaging our donor team in the patient portal.Medical Screening
The same medical screening required for anonymous donation applies, including bloodwork, a brief physical exam, and completion of medical history questionnaires.
If donor eggs or donor sperm were used to create the embryos, screening for the egg or sperm source has already been completed.Legal Agreement
A legal contract is required for known (designated) embryo donation. CNY advises all parties to seek independent legal counsel to prepare an agreement that: specifies the number of embryos being donated, includes the names of all donating partners and all recipients, and is signed and notarized by all parties
Consent and Coordination
The donor team will generate the required consents through EngagedMD. Separate email addresses are required for each partner to complete electronic signatures.
