I am interested in views on this question which seem to vary . It is something which I continue to process and receive treatment counselling with as well as reading, DCN, listening to others who have walked this path.
Do you think a Mum who conceived using donor eggs is a biological Mum ? ( DNA and genetics obviously come from the egg and sperm though epigenetics may play some shaping ) thanks x
Hello Southwestcat,
Hope you are doing well.
I wouldn’t say it’s biological because at the end of the day it is someone else’s egg, and since it is that means it has all of the donors genes.
You would be the mom because you will be carrying the beautiful blessing, but I don’t see how it would be biological. It can most certainly have similar features because when you are choosing the donor it is based on your similarities.
But it is still your baby because you are carrying it and earn the mom title. It’s basically another woman’s eggs, with her genes, and planted in you.
Hope this sheds little light to your question.
Wishing you all the best in this journey.
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I was reading an article earlier today about same sex couples and shared motherhood, where they use a sperm donor to fertilize the eggs from one partner then transfer the embryo to the other's uterus. The first is the genetic mother and the other the birth mother. So I guess it would be the same terminology with donor eggs, you'd be the birth mother but not technically the biological mother.
However, I think it's worth remembering that the embryo that's transferred is little more than the 'blueprint' for the baby. Almost everything that's used in the actual 'construction' comes from you. You share a blood supply. The baby takes the minerals, fat, proteins etc from your body to grow. It's most definitely a part of you, regardless of whether the initial egg was yours. We didn't use donors, happily our IVF journey went pretty smoothly, but feeling my baby move and grow inside me, I really don't think it would have made the least bit of difference to me. Good luck xxx
I am currently 30 weeks pregnant after using a donor egg. The way I think about it is that the donor (amazing person who gave me this gift!) gave me an egg which is a single cell and contained all of my baby’s genetic material but every other cell in my baby’s body has been grown and nurtured inside my body so I like to think that I am the baby’s biological and birth mother but not genetic mother. Perhaps I’m splitting hairs here but this helped me!
The one thing I will add is that these were all worries and thoughts I had prior to being pregnant, now that I am I would agree with MissSaoPaulo and say that it makes no difference. Feeling my baby move, seeing him on scans and starting to plan a nursery etc - I am his mother.
Good luck to you! xx
Hi Southwestcat. I fully agree with the comments made by the others, and they speak from experience, especially "SJA". I have albums of babies born from IVF?ICSI donor eggs/sperm and embryos. You just have to look through to see the happy, complete families that have been created using donor eggs etc. Babies taker on mannerisms too as they grow, and you will be amazed at how much they look like yourself because of this - may even totally look like the father - who knows. If you haven't already, then perhaps seek some implications counselling to carry you through. Thinking of you. Diane
Hi, thanks very much for sharing thoughts and experiences . I have had and continue to have masses of counselling over the years . It is not really to do with what a unique new being looks like for me I guess as the things I process and consider and learn to accept are different / deeper than that . I also resonate with SJA words above which are what I feel too.. I personally don't find some of the more Amercian literature on this very helpful which says that the birth Mum is not the biological Mum. It may be to do with language / terminology . It is also interesting to hear what donors say both in podcasts/ interviews and because the counsellor talks about their views and experience ( in a general way ) . I am having DD IVF after years of unexplained failures. thanks again xx
How many donor eggs did you purchase?
Our twins are here at last WARNING PHOTO TO FOLLOW 💕
breastfeeding and embryo transfer
Egg collection done ✔
Donor eggs - clinics, resources, framework 
