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Karen

This was definitely not something we had ever imagined we would be faced with, and it took quite some time to process our emotions, as well as grieve the loss of our chance to have a genetically related child.

Tell us a bit more about your background. What do you do for a living? Are you in the U.S.? Overseas? Married?

I live in the UK and have been married to my husband for 8 years.

Following our own personal fertility struggles, my friend Abi and I decided we would like to help others by providing the information and support we wish we’d had access to when we were trying to conceive. We have now developed a platform called The Fertility Circle which is an app to help support and empower everyone on their path to parenthood.

What year did you begin your Xytex search/ pregnancy journey?

We started trying to conceive in 2014 but unfortunately it wasn’t an easy journey. Following failed fertility treatment cycles and recurrent pregnancy loss we began our search for donor sperm with Xytex in 2016.

Are you in a heterosexual couple, a same-sex couple, or are you a single mother by choice?

Heterosexual couple.

What challenges did you face when trying to become pregnant, if any? How did you handle those challenges?

As a couple, we faced the difficult challenge of both male and female factor fertility issues. Every attempt to conceive, whether naturally or with ART, sadly ended in heartbreaking pregnancy loss. There came a point when we realised that our best chance of success would be with the help of both donor eggs and sperm. This was definitely not something we had ever imagined we would be faced with, and it took quite some time to process our emotions, as well as grieve the loss of our chance to have a genetically related child. We were so desperate to have a family and to move forward from a painful fertility journey, we decided double donor IVF would be the path we’d take. We did have lots of counselling and connected with others who’d had similar experiences, which really helped us to overcome many of our concerns.

Who supported you the most during your donor search/ pregnancy?

My husband was my rock throughout this whole process. As we both felt equally responsible for our fertility struggles, it made it easier to support each other. We understood exactly how the other was feeling.

How did you hear about Xytex? How did you go about finding us?

Our fertility clinic in London recommended Xytex to us.

Why did you choose Xytex? What did you like most?

We chose Xytex, because there is a large bank of donors to choose from and so much information provided about each one. It was nice to read the personal statements from the donors, which gave us an insight into their personality and their reasons for donating. I also liked how detailed the search function was, so we could really narrow down our selection.

How did Xytex compare to other sperm banks? 

We looked at sperm banks in the UK and Europe, but they don’t provide anywhere near as much information about the donors, and there were no photographs. With Xytex we received a very in-depth profile for our donor, with a detailed medical history for both him and his family. I think I actually know more about our donors family medical history than I do about my own!

What was most important to you when choosing a donor? What were you looking for?

When choosing a donor we wanted to find someone that my husband felt he could relate to in some way, not just physically but values and personality too. It was important to us that we chose someone who sounded caring, warm and good natured.

What would you tell others looking for a donor? Any advice?

Before you start, make a list of any attributes you are looking for in the donor. This can be useful to refer to when searching and will help you to narrow down your selection.

Why would you recommend Xytex?

I would recommend Xytex, because the whole process of ordering and having it shipped here to the UK was really straightforward and super quick.

Was our website helpful?  

The website has lots of helpful information for international clients, including selecting UK compliant donors and shipping information.

After completing your purchase with Xytex, what happened from there?

With thanks to both Xytex and our donor, we are now blessed to be parents to the most wonderful little 2 year old who’s everything we wished for and more!