This page summarizes some of the key terminology you should know when considering growing you family through surrogacy, egg donation or sperm donation, also known as third-party reproduction.
Canadian legislation that defines prohibited activities related to assisted human reproduction that may pose significant human health and safety risks to Canadians or that are deemed to be ethically unacceptable or incompatible with Canadian values.
Egg Bank:
An egg bank facilitates the collection, freezing, and storage of eggs donated by screened donors for later use in fertility treatment by patient(s) who require eggs from a donor to attempt assisted reproductive procedures.
Egg Donation:
When an egg donor provides egg(s) to intended parent(s) by undergoing the ovarian stimulation process and an egg retrieval procedure. The intended parent(s) who receive(s) the eggs create embryos through IVF to attempt pregnancy.
Egg Donor (Also known as oocyte donor):
A person who donates eggs to intended parent(s). Terminology used to further define egg donors include:
- Anonymous Donor: Have not consented to their identity being released
- Known Donor (can also be referred to as Directed Donor): Have consented to
- their identity being released or are known to the intended parent(s).
- Open-ID Donor (can also be referred to as a Semi-Anonymous or Identity Release Donor): Have consented to their identity being released after a child born from their donation turns 18 years of age.
Intended Parent(s):
A person or family group who intend(s) to parent a child conceived through third-party reproduction.
Reciprocal IVF (can also be referred to as partner-assisted reproduction, shared motherhood, partner IVF, co-IVF and ROPA (reception of oocytes from partner):
An IVF cycle that is shared by female partners, in which one partner undergoes the ovarian stimulation process and egg retrieval procedure and the other partner undergoes the embryo transfer. A sperm donor is required.
Sperm Donation:
The process in which a sperm donor provides sperm to another person or family group. The person or family group who receives the sperm uses it to attempt pregnancy through IUI or IVF.
Sperm Bank:
A sperm bank facilitates the collection, processing, and storage of sperm donated by screened donors for later use in fertility treatment by patient(s) requiring sperm from a donor to attempt assisted reproductive procedures.
Sperm Donor:
A person who donates sperm to intended parent(s). Terminology used to further define sperm donors include:
- Anonymous Donor: Have not consented to their identity being released
- Known Donor (can also be referred to as Directed Donor): Have consented to their identity being released or are known to the intended parent(s).
- Open-ID Donor (can also be referred to as a Semi-Anonymous or Identity Release Donor): Have consented to their identity being released after a child born from their donation turns 18 years of age.
Surrogate:
- Gestational Surrogate: A person who undergoes an embryo transfer with the intention of carrying a pregnancy for another person/family group, who will be the intended parent(s) of the child. The gestational surrogate is not genetically linked to the embryo.
Third-Party Reproduction:
- All cases of human reproduction that involve the use of a third-party individual to provide gametes (sperm, eggs, embryos, or surrogacy for the purposes of reproduction by the intended parent(s).
