Importing embryo into Australia

[1greenfrog]

@Mia75 it was Fertility First.
Updates would be great, Thanks.

[Birdface]

Just found this thread, thanks! Same boat! Beloved baby boy born early this year just before covid hit Australia, am so grateful!!! Soon we are ready for the second!

Mine is in Malaysia though. Apparently the clinic says they’ve sent to Australia before, using a third party courier eg DGI Global, it’s referred to a cryopod service. However that’s subject to consent from receiving clinic in Australia. It was also mentioned that the clinics may not accept PGS tested embryos (why??).

Costs aside.... what restrictions may be in place in NSW?

I read before and thought I had read it’s illegal for embryos to be imported. Hope I read wrong!

[Kalina]

It was also mentioned that the clinics may not accept PGS tested embryos (why??).

I'm guessing because pgs can be used for gender selection, which isn't legal here.

[Hopeful137]

I wonder whether it would be possible to approach a new clinic in our city, sat we want to transfer embryos across for IVF from Greece and not mention the donor part. Use DGI to transfer and ask the Greek clinic not to mention the donor aspect?!

[Hopeful137]

Maybe just pretend we did IVF in Greece because ?! I don’t know surely there’s something they might offer or we wanted to make it a holiday or something 🤷🏼♀️🤣

[Hopeful137]

Dead end just incase anyone was wondering the same.

However I did read on the RTC (WA) website that you can apply for import of donor embryos under compassionate grounds when they don’t meet the requirements for donor identifying information. Just have to meet all the other requirements. Unfortunately I have a feeling that the counselling of the donor requirement may not have been met but maybe that would also be considered under compassionate grounds. Surely Covid is a pretty good reason for compassionate grounds!

I’m emailing the RTC tomorrow and will keep you all posted!

[Hopeful137]

Also incase anyone was wondering another dead end. Apparently the authority in Greece which has to agree to embryos being exported is not currently running due to covid!

[Mia75]

Hey [MENTION=148476]Hopeful137[/MENTION]

Thanks for your comments. I too am at a dead end. I reached out to a clinic in WA and they said they have submitted applications on behalf of patients before and it was rejected based on counselling and anonymity and that they believed it was no altruistic payments. It seems like the clinic really didn’t want to help me as it was a lot of work. Which I completely understand.

I also reached out to VARTA the governing body in Victoria and they were very helpful and basically had the following to say after stepping out the requirements

“ Usually when the donor is anonymous, the donor requirements above cannot be fulfilled and therefor the applications are unsuccessful. Further, where the donor is anonymous the clinic cannot determine family limits (in Vic this is 10 family limit worldwide – overseas this varies). Victorian clinics are unable to support applications where the donor is anonymous.

Where an application has been successful in the past and the embryos created from donor gametes originated from a country like Sth Africa or Greece (where donation is anonymous by law), the applicants have usually gone through the Courts overseas, received a court order which have allowed donor release information and the donor was agreeable to provide donor information to the Victorian Central Register and undergo counselling with a Vic counsellor, consent etc.”

Anyhow I have decided to wait and see what happens and just enjoy my beautiful little girl.

Dead end just incase anyone was wondering the same.

However I did read on the RTC (WA) website that you can apply for import of donor embryos under compassionate grounds when they don’t meet the requirements for donor identifying information. Just have to meet all the other requirements. Unfortunately I have a feeling that the counselling of the donor requirement may not have been met but maybe that would also be considered under compassionate grounds. Surely Covid is a pretty good reason for compassionate grounds!

I’m emailing the RTC tomorrow and will keep you all posted!

[1greenfrog]

Someone posted this in a Facebook IVF/Donor/Surrogacy page, hope it's ok to share.
I haven't watched it fully yet, so not sure how good it is, or if it helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid...ature=youtu.be

[1greenfrog]

OK, I have watched about 15 minutes of it, and I need to go into a meeting at 10. But so far it looks very helpful! The guy doing it is from Growing Families.

[1greenfrog]

Sorry, I keep replying to myself... it is an intersting watch in general, with quite a bit of info about sperm & embryo shipping in general especially with Covid restrictions. If you have 48 minutes check it out.
its bloody expensive!

[Mia75]

Sorry, I keep replying to myself... it is an intersting watch in general, with quite a bit of info about sperm & embryo shipping in general especially with Covid restrictions. If you have 48 minutes check it out.
its bloody expensive!

Thanks I will watch it now

[Unicorn78]

Someone posted this in a Facebook IVF/Donor/Surrogacy page, hope it's ok to share.
I haven't watched it fully yet, so not sure how good it is, or if it helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid...ature=youtu.be

Thank you for posting this [MENTION=157573]1greenfrog[/MENTION]. I found it helpful. It confirmed what I thought about importing donor embryos but I might look at using them to help with an exemption application to go back to Cyprus for a transfer [emoji3]

[1greenfrog]

I did not realise how expensive it was to ship them either.

It seems to be easier to get out, than in. Thats my worry at the moment. That I get overseas no problems, but get stuck there for months.

[Unicorn78]

I did not realise how expensive it was to ship them either.

It seems to be easier to get out, than in. Thats my worry at the moment. That I get overseas no problems, but get stuck there for months.

Yeah, it does seem that way but I'm getting so desperate I thinking of taking my chances!