Leaning on deep experience from California Cryobank, here are my thoughts and lived memories on building emotional bonds with your baby. From the earliest weeks of pregnancy through toddlerhood and beyond, with real-life scenarios and actionable ideas for every stage.
Five children later and ten years on from the start of her journey, TRB Founder Eloise recaps her sperm bank story and shares the five things that positively surprised her about her experience.
We break down the up-to-date legal frameworks around donor anonymity in Denmark, how it affects patients and families long-term, and why so many choose Maigaard Fertility Clinic for its transparency and ethical standards.
Between patchwork state laws, court rulings, and endless headlines, understanding your reproductive rights can feel scary right now. Here’s our pathways guide, including helpful breakdowns, resources, and supportive signposting.
Building a family as an LGBTQ+ parent-to-be can be complex — emotionally, logistically, and financially. This supportive guide shares practical advice and mental health tips tailored to your unique path.
From age limits, to queries about donor anonymity, travel tips and is IVF free in Portugal, we collected your most-asked questions about fertility treatment in Portugal, and put them to the experts at leading Porto-based clinic Procriar. Some of the answers might surprise you!
Egg donation is an incredible way to help individuals and couples build families, but it comes with a host of questions and considerations for potential donors.
Up-to-date advice and guidance on getting started always come best from the experts. And for this, we turn to UK-wide clinical network TFP Fertility, every time. Read on for the very latest on their inclusive, full-service treatment options, and pointers for what to ask to get the ball rolling.
No matter the stage of your fertility journey, supporting your partner is essential for more understanding, a stronger connection, and a better path forward. We sat down with Juno Diagnostics’ Director of Genetic Counseling, Katie Sagaser to learn about the power of bonding and how they’re helping bridge the gap.
For LGBTQ+ individuals on the journey to parenthood, finding a fertility clinic that offers inclusive care is crucial, but not always simple. We’ve put together 5 key questions to ask to help you begin your journey.
As you explore your options, consider the unique benefits of choosing Portuguese egg donors (or sperm donors) through Procriar, Portugal’s premier clinic.
Everything to know about the California Cryobank Sibling Registry Last year, when their eldest daughter was nearly five years old, The Ribbon Box Founder Eloise and her husband were contacted (out of the blue) by a lesbian couple who used the same sperm donor as them, via their bank's donor sibling registry. Based in the US, [...]
A two-time donor shares her experience – from why she chose to donate, to what happens on donation day and the wide-reaching benefits she’s personally experienced.
New parenthood, especially after a surrogacy journey, is challenging. Together with Be Parent, we selected 6 practical tips for bonding with baby after surrogacy, as well as during the process.
There are lots of reasons why you might struggle to conceive, and one of the less talked about obstacles is ‘social infertility’.’ This is when there is not a physical reason that stops you from conceiving, but a social reason. For example, if you’re in a same-sex couple and you need donor sperm, donor eggs and or surrogacy. Perhaps you [...]
Nature vs nurture. It’s the question that pops up time and again, at every stage of the parenting journey. Which has the greater impact on a child’s development, personal traits and trajectory? Is it nature, or nurture? Biology, or environment? Genetics, or family unit? For Cryos International, it’s both - but most of all, it’s [...]
This year’s ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) conference has just wrapped in Anaheim, USA. The lead topic for 2022’s groundbreaking meet-up - Genes, Gametes & Genetics - is right up our street. But often, it’s the work going on under the medical radar, in patient care, counseling and a lifetime of family building, which [...]
Moving to egg donation is a big step, whether you’re early on in your fertility journey, or you’ve been TTC for a while. Almost always, experts agree it’s important to honor the feelings and emotional barriers which can come up, from shock at an unexpected diagnosis or test result, to sadness, anxiety, grief and in [...]
Support, resources & things to consider, when prepping for donor conception From their fantastic YouTube webinar - focusing on donor-conceived children, and their unique perspectives - to a blog packed with resources, Cryos International are paving the way for parents having a baby via donor-conception. With 30+ years of experience, Cryos are perfectly placed to [...]
If you're considering using an egg or sperm donor for fertility treatment, you might be wondering if it's right for you. Perhaps you're in a same-sex relationship, planning on being a solo parent, creating a fertility safety net, or maybe you or your partner have fertility problems. Whatever your reasons for using donor gametes, speaking [...]
If you’re considering using donor sperm for fertility treatment, the chances are you’ve spoken to your fertility specialist, Googled “How to choose a sperm donor” and had a good old think about what to look out for when selecting a sperm donor. These are all important steps and questions but are there any other things [...]
Many in our fertility community understand how a fertility journey is littered with curveballs and hurdles. Here, Rachel Honeyman shares her and her husband's story of infertility, the discovery that their fertility problems could be female-factor, in addition to the male-factor issues they knew existed, and finally, find out what they learned when choosing donor [...]
Choosing a sperm donor - three unique perspectives (& where to start) At The Ribbon Box, we know that choosing a sperm donor is a very personal decision and there’s no one-size-fits all approach. Settling on your chosen sperm donor might be the result of months combing through profiles, or maybe you’ll come across a [...]
As anyone having fertility treatment knows, it's a roller-coaster of emotions. The chances are, you'll have wondered what your general wellbeing would be like if you weren't experiencing fertility difficulties but have you ever considered how your (in)fertility diagnosis plays a role in your ability to overcome challenges on a fertility journey? At FHH, we’ve [...]
Over recent years, developments in DNA testing services have become increasingly popular. And why wouldn't it be? Understanding the ancestry of our parents gives a better insight into our genetic heritage. Although for some people struggling with infertility and wanting to use donor gametes in fertility treatment, not knowing the ancestral history of a donor [...]
Before using donor sperm in IVF, should you screen your donor for all genetic conditions? When picking a sperm donor, how much information do you need to know? Prior to using donor sperm, fertility clinics screen the donor for key genetic conditions to help you make informed decisions about using donor sperm for IVF. But [...]
Have you ever planned to tell someone something but the more you thought about it the more worried you became? Difficult conversations crop up across all areas of life: telling your partner you want to end the relationship, a TTC friend you’re expecting (click here for tips) or your donor-conceived child about their origins. These [...]
Ever wondered why someone would become a sperm donor or how sperm donation works? Earlier this year, TRB's Founder, Eloise spoke with one of California Cryobank's sperm donors about his experience of sperm donation. If you missed the podcast, read our article below to learn more about why our podcast guest became a sperm donor. [...]
Our fertility community is always bursting with messages of hope and support (download our free app). Here, one member under the name "Solo Mummy Donor Conceived", shares her thoughts on hope and moving forwards. Over to Solo Mummy Donor Conceived (find her Instagram here). One year closes and another one begins... Time moving forwards is [...]
Anyone who regularly interacts with children knows they're naturally curious. "Why are you wearing your red gloves?", "What would happen if I ate my banana skin?", "How does an aeroplane fly?" and most parents will likely be asked something like: "How was I made?" at some point. For parents of surrogate or donor-conceived children, questions [...]
Through their generous gesture, egg and sperm donors often make a huge impact on families who are trying to conceive. However, there is currently more demand than supply for donor conception treatment, especially for egg donors. In light of this, The Ribbon Box has asked The Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health (CRGH) to explain [...]
Camille Guaty is an advocate for Donor Conception and Co-Founder of Foster a Dream. We are grateful that she is sharing with out The Ribbon Box readers her personal trying to conceive story on making the decision to use an egg donor, advice to anyone looking for an egg or sperm donor and how her feelings [...]
We hear from Bee, who in her thirties discovered she is donor conceived. Bee talks about how she feels about being donor conceived, as well as the positives and negatives of donor conception.
In this fertility blog, we hear from specialist fertility coach, Lisa Schuman from The Center for Family Building. Read on as Lisa discusses the topic of donor conception and how you can record and document your fertility journey with My Lifebook, to share with your future child about their conception story. With my own sperm [...]
In today’s fertility blog, we hear Anna Buxton's trying to conceive journey, from miscarriages, IVF and being diagnosed with Asherman's Syndrome, to having three children via surrogacy. Here is where Anna has found vocation. Hear Anna’s personal fertility story, from process, gaining fertility answers, family decisions, to what she wished she had known at the [...]
I am the founder of The Ribbon Box and a mother to three kids, thanks to sperm donor conception. My husband has Klinefelter Syndrome, which means he has azoospermia (no sperm), therefore making him infertile. From this early age, we’re making sure to share with our children everything about their conception – in an age [...]
Australian Gail Pascoe, discovered from Australia that her nine year old daughter has over 100 siblings after Gail used a US sperm donor. After researching for six years, she is in the final stages of writing a detailed end-to-end guide-book to help others using an egg or sperm donor avoid similar pitfalls and to […]
Navigating social infertility? In a heartfelt interview, Millie from @jessi_and_millie opens up on finding community & redefining family on her terms.
Meet Mel Johnson, The Solo Parenthood Coach ™ and founder of The Stork and I, who pursued solo motherhood with donor sperm to have her daughter, Daisy. She covers the starting point, her story and the services, support and community she’s built to help others navigating social infertility.
