Donor Recipient Support Group (MD, DC, and VA patients)

**For Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia area patients**

Making the decision to move forward with egg and/or sperm donation can be a medical, legal, and emotional shift for all prospective recipients.

This virtual donor recipient support group provides support for individuals and couples who are at a turning point in treatment as no longer able to have a genetic connection to a child. They may be at various stages of treatment such as those contemplating the choice, embarking on and undergoing treatment to conceive as well as for patients who become parents through such means. The processing of the thoughts and feelings about the use of donated gametes can be very helpful as one prepares to move forward with this option, as well as having support from others who are having a similar experience. It can also be important to the long-term health and well being of the child (conceived) by donated gametes. More specifically, the group affords recipients benefit from exploring any concerns and expressing their feelings about having a child with someone else’s genetic material as well as to discuss when, how, what, to whom, and if to disclose to offspring.

The group is FREE for all participants.

Registration is required at least 48 hours before the group event. You must be a current SGF patient and provide the office you go to and your doctors name.  An email will be sent to you with a consent form that must be filled before you can attend the virtual group. When you fill out the consent and return it to the group leader via email, you will then receive an invitation with a link to Ring Central video meeting. Please note that the group may be canceled if there are too few people registered. The group leader will contact you by phone or email if the group will not be held as scheduled.

For more information, please email Laura Covington, PhD, LICSW.