There are numerous organizations that are wonderful sources of educational and support materials. Within each category, the organizations are listed in alphabetical order. Some organizations really fall into more than one main category and may be listed more than once. While this is not an exhaustive infertility listing, it's simply a collection of sites and links we feel will most benefit those donating and receiving embryos.
There are also numerous groups and infertility-related "causes" on Facebook where members can share their stories and discuss treatments, etc. In fact, you are welcome to use our Facebook page as a discussion platform as well.
We are proud to offer a forum on our Website where you can discuss your embryo donation or recipient status and circumstances with the donor, recipient or others in your situation. This may prove useful as you go through the process.
We are also constantly searching the Web for new information, research and resources. We use the website Digg to save and share important resource links. These links can also be a valuable resource for others.
In the Blogs and Social Networks section, EDI has provided reviews of the writers. There is room for a difference of opinion on the reviews.
If there are links that we have failed to mention, please contact us and we will review them keeping in mind we are really looking for resources that will be of interest to embryo donors and recipients. We are especially interested in international sites. Learn and enjoy!
My Destination Family is an interactive Web site created specifically to educate potential embryo donors and recipients about embryo donation and which was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. RESOLVE runs the site.
ASRM is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the advancement of the art, science, and practice of reproductive medicine. The Society accomplishes its mission through the pursuit of excellence in education and research and through advocacy on behalf of patients, physicians, and affiliated health care providers. ASRM is committed to facilitating and sponsoring educational activities for the lay public and continuing medical education activities for professionals who are engaged in the practice of and research in reproductive medicine.
A nonprofit providing education, resources, and support for those touched by infertility or adoption. It has an in-depth library of embryo donation resources including articles, radio pod casts, books, and Web sites.
INCIID provides information, discussion forums and financial assistance through its scholarship program, From INCIID the Heart.
Provides information for those considering becoming an egg or sperm donor, but also for health professionals and those requiring treatment with donor eggs or sperm.
The American Fertility Association is committed to preventing infertility whenever possible and to helping people build families of choice, particularly when faced with infertility. The AFA has embryo donation facts sheets for prospective donors and recipients.
Offered by ASRM, this site acts as a patient and public education hub. It offers research and information as well as reproductive health tips, news and other resources. An excellent unbiased source of information.
Parents Via Egg Donation was created to provide both information and support to parents and would-be parents via egg donation. It is increasingly being asked to provide information about embryo donation by parents who already are finished with their family building through egg donation and are weighing their options about donating remaining frozen embryos.
RESOLVE is one of the leading infertility support, education and advocacy organizations in the country. It has extensive educational materials about the medical, legal and mental health aspects of embryo donation for both donors and recipients.
Choce Moms
Choice Moms is an international resource for women who have decided to become a single or independent mother. They offer information for people thinking about it, in the process of doing it and those who are now single mothers in a social community setting.
Carole C. Wegner, Ph.D., HCLD, runs this blog that enlightens the infertility population about the ins and outs of a reproductive lab. She is candid, detailed, insightful, occasionally sarcastic and touches on the political and legal aspects of reproduction well. She writes well and is a refreshing voice of honesty and clarity in the field.
FertilityPod is a social community focused on helping support those who battle infertility as well as connect them with fertility professionals.
This is a blog resource for parents considering donating their embryos – open, approved or closed. It's hosted by a woman, who after achieving success through IVF, donated her and her husband's embryos through an open donation.
This is a resource for women to discuss their lives, struggles and other female-specific issues.
While not for everyone, the Donor Sibling Registry assists individuals conceived as a result of sperm, egg or embryo donation that are seeking to make mutually desired contact with others with whom they share genetic ties. DSR advocates for honesty and transparency for donor kids and feel that people have the fundamental right to information about their biological origins. Clear research is utterly lacking in the field of embryo donation so it is uncertain if such transparency is in the best interests of all involved.
A social resource for people going through infertility and the family building process. You can share your blog, join groups/forums and find infertility support.
Melissa (Mel), sometimes Lollipop Goldstein, author, writes an infertility blog that is one of the more popular around. She has done a fantastic job at bringing a tremendous amount of information, links and blog links (i.e., blog roll) to the masses. Her writing style is relaxed, conversational, funny and a joy to read. If you have a few days to kill, the reading and learning is endless.
Fertility Europe
Fertility Europe is an association of European organizations and associations involved in infertility issues. They aim to build a strong European network among patients and professionals to achieve an exchange of best practices, promote education to protect reproductive health and improve the situation concerning the rights of those trying to conceive. Fertility Europe has a comprehensive list of country-based organizations in various European countries.
Infertility Network
This is an independent, registered Canadian charity dedicated to providing support and information to help people make wise family building decisions. They also advocate for reform of gamete donation practices.
Infertility Network Scotland
Infertility Network Scotland is the first branch of Infertility Network UK
Infertility Network U.K
The United Kingdom's leading infertility support network, offers information and support to anyone affected by fertility problems.
Infertility Awareness Association of Canada
IAAC provides educational material, support and assistance to individuals and couples who are experiencing the anguish of infertility, which affects over half a million Canadian men and women. The IAAC exists to meet the unaddressed needs occurring during course of infertility medical treatment, to reach out to those who may not be aware of the treatment options available, and to raise public awareness of infertility and the difficulty for some to access treatment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Assisted Reproductive Technology Section
This as the annual ART Success Rates Report, the National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports links. You are able to review the success rates of clinics around the U.S.A. Links on the left side are particularly helpful.
Health Finder
When making decisions about your health, it's important to know where to go to get the latest, most reliable information. Healthfinder.gov has resources on a wide range of health topics selected from over 1,600 government and non-profit organizations to bring you the best, most reliable health information on the Internet.
PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health
This is the place to go for actual medical articles and summary abstracts. PubMed comprises over 20 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. PubMed citations and abstracts include the fields of medicine, nursing, the health care system, and preclinical sciences. PubMed is a free resource that is developed and maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine, located at the National Institutes of Health.
Endo Research Center
The Endometriosis Research Center raises awareness, provides education, encouragement and empowerment, and facilitates global research efforts.
Infertility Family Research Registry (IFRR)
This site brings volunteers together who are interested in improving the understanding for patients with infertility. Those that can register can even include normal family and friends who can serve as controls in some of the studies. If we are to understand the diagnosis and treatment of infertility better, this site may bring people together that can help to answer questions.
International Premature Ovarian Failure Association
The mission of the POFSG is to provide community, support and information to women with Premature Ovarian Failure (POF) and their loved ones; to increase public awareness and understanding of POF; and to work with health care professionals to better understand this condition.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association, Inc.
Serving the PCOS web community with information and connections.
The Endometriosis Association
The ultimate goal of the Endometriosis Association is to find a cure and prevention for endometriosis while at the same time providing education, support, and research to those affected.
Family Equality Council
FEC works toward equality for all family units in the United States regardless of creation or composition with specific support of the LGBT community.
Lesbian and Gay Family Building Project
This site is dedicated to helping LGBT people in upstate New York, specifically, achieve their goals of achieve and sustaining healthy families. They offer resources as well as events.
Pride Angel
This site acts as online forum for the LGBT community on all topics related to infertility and conception.
Proud Parenting
Parenting and infertility/fertility resources for the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender community.
American Psychological Association, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns Office (LGBTCO)
LGBTCO’s mission is to advance psychology as a means of improving the health and well-being of LGBT people, as a means of increasing understanding and reducing stigma, prejudice, discrimination, and violence toward LGBT people.
ASRM Mental Health Professional Search Engine
This is a bit tricky to navigate. Travel to the bottom of the page and click the “Mental Health Professional Group” button and press <Search>. From this page, you can refine your search by city and state. Changing the “Results per page” to “Show All” is more efficient. Names, websites and links are presented for all 50 states in the US. Some excellent Mental Health Professionals will not necessarily be on the list.
Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation
Its mission is to bring hope to those struggling with infertility by providing financial grants.
The Cade Foundation
The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation (TQCF) is a nonprofit organization serving the needs of families battling infertility. In addition, the TQCF also provides financial assistance to families pursuing infertility treatment or domestic adoption through the Tinina Q. Cade Foundation Family Building Grant. This dual approach distinguishes the foundation as the only organization of its kind in the nation.
Fertile Dreams
Fertile Dream's goal is to bring education and understanding of fertility and adoption issues, as well as to provide financial assistance.
Parenthood for Me
Its goal is to provide emotional support, educational tools, and financial support to those adopting or pursuing assisted reproductive technology (ART) to try and conceive. It hopes to ease some of the financial and emotional burden bestowed on people who desperately want to be parents.
