Where do I start

[Supersee]

Hi all, I'm 40, single, childless and beginning to consider going down the donor route to conceive. Up until now I didn't want children at all, however something has started to shift. My parent has also advised that they would be willing to fund it all should I pursue it.

So.. where do I even start?! I have read about getting a fertility MOT done, where do I go for that? Also been reading about clinics in Spain, and choosing sperm from Scandinavia, is that preferable? Is there a rough ball park figure this costs? I have applied to join the solo mothers by choice group on FB but is there anywhere I could be sign posted to?

Thanks a lot.

Hi @Supersee I did this - started by choosing a clinic, went for one in the UK as it was during lockdown. They did the fertility tests which came back fine, then I chose a donor from one of the sperm banks they work with, ended up going with one in the US.

Look up the Donor Conception Network online, they have a lot of good information. Happy to talk about my experiences if it helps, I had a frozen embryo transfer on Thursday… 🤞

Thanks @Sunbird24 so first stop should be researching various clinics? I'll also take a look at the Donor Conception Network.

Oh fingers crossed for you!! How exciting!

@Supersee I can't give much advice regarding choosing a clinic as I effectively chose the closest one (although it was a company I had spoken to 8 years earlier about egg freezing so I had some knowledge of them)

The SMBC FB group should be able to give you some pointers based on their own experience, and I'm in one called Fertility Buddies if you can find it. There are some books out there as well, I bought one called 'Choosing Single Motherhood: The Thinking Woman's Guide'.

@Supersee just like @Sunbird24 said, yes, research clinics in UK and abroad. They do virtual zoom talks now so you can have a chat with the medical staff, ask questions etc. Youtube was another of my inspirations to get onto the solo route, followed some fab solo mothers, most were from the US.