Dr. Saira Jhutty

In this article, find insights from both clinical experience and research about why feelings of shame and stigma arise during the IVF journey, how they impact us, and most importantly, practical strategies for moving past them. Whether you're just beginning to consider donor egg IVF or are already on this path, know that you're not alone, and there are ways to transform these challenging emotions into stepping stones toward your dream of parenthood.

Fertility treatments can be emotionally challenging due to the unpredictable nature of things. And when things don’t go as planned, and you have to reconsider the next steps, the emotional challenges can intensify. This article explores emotions that may arise during changes in fertility treatments.

Experiencing infertility can be a rollercoaster of emotions. While you're struggling to conceive, it can be particularly difficult to share in the joy of others as they announce pregnancies or welcome new babies into the world. I’m a fertility psychologist and I have worked with countless individuals struggling with infertility. This article explores the complex emotions surrounding infertility and offers strategies for navigating this challenging terrain.

Making the decision to work with an egg donor to start your family is a major life decision that can cause a lot of stress. Here's a psychologist's perspective on how to keep stress at bay.

If you decide to work with Cofertility to match with an egg donor, you’ll know the donor went through a rigorous process. Our team screens thousands of donors each year through a multi-step process to ensure each person is qualified and prepared to become an egg donor, going above and beyond FDA and ASRM-recommended screening guidelines. In this article, we share a little more about this process. 

Whether an egg donor is needed to create a baby or not, many parents do not immediately connect, attach or bond with their baby. The purpose of this article is to examine attachment between mother’s and their donor conceived babies and to give a better understanding of attachment and how it works. 

You already know how difficult it can be to select the right egg donor match for your family. That is why once you have found a potential match, meeting her (either in person, over video, or on a call), can be a great way to finalize and feel confident about your decision. Below are some questions you can ask during your meeting to get to know your egg donor.

If you are a single cis male or in a same-sex male relationship, you will need a gestational carrier to carry and deliver your baby along with donor eggs to create embryos. A fertility psychologist can work with you to discuss the implications of becoming parents, how to talk to your child about their conception and to others around you about your journey. They can also walk you through your feelings, fears, and educate you about the process of becoming parents through third party reproduction. 

Grief is something that is experienced after a deep and meaningful loss. We usually think of grief in terms of a death. However, grief in surrogacy is also very real, as the death of the dream of having and carrying a child of your own, may no longer be a reality. 

Navigating nosy questions others around you may ask about you and your decision to use donor eggs to start your family.

When a woman is diagnosed with infertility and told that donor eggs are required to have a baby, different fears can kick in. One of the fears includes not being supported by family or friends. But what happens when that non-support comes from your partner? And what if despite his not wanting to use donor eggs, you still do? What happens then?

Being told you can’t have a genetic child can be heartbreaking. At the same time, knowing that there is still a possibility of growing your family with the help of a donor, can bring relief. Still, that grief needs to be honored and given space and time to heal.

Religion and egg donation: how to talk to your family about egg donation

Before you start your search for an egg donor, you should ask yourself: do you want to work with someone you know or would you feel more comfortable working with someone with whom you have no connection? The answer to this question will have an impact on everyone involved: you, your family, your future child, the donor, and the donor's family.

If you are considering conceiving with donor eggs, you may have questions regarding the different types of donation and how they may impact your child. But before you even begin your search for that perfect match, it is essential that you ask yourself a few questions. First, what is anonymous egg donation? Second, does true anonymity exist? Three, why do I want to work with an anonymous donor? Fourth and maybe most important, how will it impact my future child?

Coming to terms that you need a donor egg to have a family can elicit all kinds of emotions. A major emotion that plays a big role during this process is grief. Grief is that deep, overwhelming sorrow that comes from loss. In this case, it is the anguish that comes from the death or loss of the dream - the dream of a genetic child. In this article, we’ll discuss grief and how it relates to being told you need an egg donor to conceive. 

With more people delaying childbirth due to a myriad of reasons, and with more options such as egg donation, sperm donation, surrogacy, and IVF allowing people to become parents well past their peak reproductive years, many are wondering, am I just too old to be a parent? 

The path to parenthood can take many roads. There is no single “right way” to become a parent, so you may be debating which path is the right one for you.

A donor egg IVF cycle can be a roller-coaster of emotions and what your partner needs most during this time is support. As the partner of someone going through IVF, what can you do to ensure they feel loved, supported, and understood? 

Religion can be a great source of comfort and solace during the most difficult of times, but it can also impact help seeking behavior, especially when it comes to fertility treatment.

Infertility is an incredibly personal and private matter. While some find it easy to share their journey and experience, others find it extremely difficult. Even though egg donation and surrogacy have become increasingly common and openly discussed in the media, you are under no obligation to share the details regarding your path to parenthood with anyone

If you're wondering what it feels like to have a baby born via egg donation, read on for several studies that illustrate the parent-child relationship in families created using egg donation.

If you are planning to donate your eggs or are planning to be a recipient of an egg donation, you'll likely need to complete a psychological screening before proceeding. Read on for a glimpse into this process.

If you are considering conceiving using donor eggs, we're breaking down some of the emerging research behind anonymous egg donations and their long term outcomes including impacts on the parent-child relationship.

As more women are turning to egg donation, we're diving into your questions about it, particularly the psychological aspects of the mother-child relationship. Read on to learn more.

We're answering commonly asked questions regarding donor egg and donor spem, including the selection process, how treatment works, and odds of success. 

We're answering five common questions about becoming a parent through egg donation.

If you are experiencing secondary infertility, and want to learn and understand more about it and how egg donation may work in this situation, read on. 

Just a few years ago, egg donation was mostly done anonymously. We're walking you through how to move forward if you regret using anonymous donor eggs.

Disclosing to your child that they were born via egg donation may make you anxious or nervous. We're here to review the research that shows the importance of openness and honesty in telling children their conception story and telling it early. 

If you are using donor eggs to build your family – you may be unsure of what type of relationship, if any, you would like to have with your egg donor. Read on to find out why anonymity is not in your child’s best interest.

Maybe you've found the perfect donor or maybe you have just started exploring the process. Either way, we're walking you through everything you need to discuss with your REI to continue on your family-building journey.

Choosing egg donation may come with mixed feelings. We break down some common fears here.

Every family has a story about how their child came into their lives. A child born via egg donation is no different, but there are a few things we think you should know.

For many male couples, egg donation and gestational surrogacy, serve as the missing pieces to help achieve the dream of a family. This is our guide to help you navigate the process.

If you’re hoping to grow your family through egg donation, we'll break down the type of relationship that you — and any donor-conceived children — will have with your donor through a disclosed or undisclosed match.

If you’re a hopeful parent beginning your journey to family building through egg donation, this guide is for you.

Considering IVF with donor eggs but concerned about safety? Read on for a step-by-step overview of the process and why it's so safe.