# Telling health professionals about egg donation



## Hopefulat35 (Jan 28, 2012)

Hi please could you clarify something for me? We are about to have our third attempt at egg donation to ttc our second child. The first was conceived naturally. We are having treatment abroad. We do not plan to tell the child as we want both our children to feel th estate within our family. Do we need to tell our gp or midwife? Would it be written in my notes or the baby's notes? I also read that donor conceived pregnancies tend to be consultant led is this true? My first labour was straight forward in a midwife led centre so my dream for our next one is a home water birth but would this be possible if we had to be under a consultant? What are the perceived additional risks from a donor pregnancy and birth?

Thank you!


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## emilycaitlin (Mar 7, 2006)

Hi,

I'm not sure I'm afraid! I'll see if I can find out any more for you. The only thing I can think of is if the baby was ill at birth, they may need to do some tests on both parents to see if there was any risk factors involved, so you would need to tell them then. Any information given to the gp or midwife would remain confidential and not even have to be written on the notes, so no others would find out, and there shouldnt be any way that your baby would ever find out. Have you asked your clinic what they recommend?

Emilycaitlin xx


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## Kaz1979 (Apr 11, 2011)

Hi Hopeful

I doubt donor conceived pregnancy would be consultant led purely for that reason, however infertility is usually a reason for consultant led care so that eould account for why most donor pregnancies would be consultant led. 

Like Emily said it is best to tell your midwife and it can be kept confidential. 

I would expect that the only additional risks are that we would not be fully aware of the family medical history of the donor like you would know your own medical history. 

Kaz xxxx


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## Hopefulat35 (Jan 28, 2012)

Thanks Emily and Kaz. So if I had to be consultant led would this mean we couldn't have a home birth?

Thanks for your help!

Hopefulxx


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## Kaz1979 (Apr 11, 2011)

No not at all. You would just need an appointment with your consultant and them to sort of "sign off" on you having a home birth as they would be the lead professional and responsible for your care. If you just consultant led due to the infertility/donor egg and no other medical issues don't see any reason why they wouldnt be happy. 

If they not happy some ladies still choose to have a home birth but do so "against medical advice" as the consultant has advised them not to have a home birth for whatever reason it was that they did not feel a home birth was appropriate. 

I have attended several home births against medical advice. 

Kaz. Cxxx


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## Hopefulat35 (Jan 28, 2012)

Thanks Kaz! We've not even had a successful cycle yet but it would just be the icing on the cake!

Xxx


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## Kaz1979 (Apr 11, 2011)

Good luck xxx


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