Our Donor Bank

Australia's longest-running donor bank

At Melbourne IVF Donor Bank, we understand that creating a family is a deeply personal journey, and for some, it involves the use of donated eggs, sperm, or embryos. As the longest-running donor bank in Australia, we are here to support your donor journey.

Our Donor Bank helps individuals and couples looking for eggs, sperm or embryo donors or supporting people through the decision to generously donate their own eggs, sperm or embryos. Experience a compassionate, ethical, and leading donor program dedicated to your individual journey.

Why Choose Melbourne IVF?

A Legacy of Excellence: Melbourne IVF is proud to be Australia's longest-running donor bank. With decades of experience, we have consistently provided top-notch care to our patients, ensuring that every step of your journey is guided by our expertise.

Leading the Way: Our commitment to innovation and excellence has made us a leader in the field of reproductive medicine. We are continually committed to improving ourselves and expanding our knowledge, all with the goal of providing the best possible outcomes for our patients.

Dedicated Donor Team: At Melbourne IVF, we have assembled a dedicated and compassionate donor team that is passionate about supporting both donors and recipients. Our team is here to provide you with the guidance and support you need throughout your entire journey.

Ethical and Caring Approach: Melbourne IVF Donor Bank takes pride in its ethical and caring approach. We ensure that the entire process is conducted with the utmost care, sensitivity, and respect for all parties involved.

Local Recruitment: We actively raise awareness and educate Victorians that donors are needed to help families achieve pregnancy. Donating is a truly magnificent gift that can pass on the chance of parenthood to people seeking to grow their family.

Personalised Care: We believe in individualised care, because no two journeys are the same. Our team will work closely with you to create a tailored plan that meets your specific needs and desires.

Supporting You Every Step of the Way: Whether you are considering becoming a donor or are in need of donor gametes, our team is here to support you through every stage of your journey. You are important to us. And we want you to feel informed, empowered and supported throughout every stage.

becoming an egg donor

By donating your eggs, you're offering the gift of love and the pure joy of assisting someone in expanding their family.

using an egg donor

Our egg donor program is designed for individuals who cannot conceive with their own eggs or do not have access to viable eggs.

surrogacy

We facilitate parenthood through assisted reproduction for those who cannot carry a pregnancy themselves.

Become a sperm donor

Donating sperm is a generous gesture that allows others to realise their dream of starting a family. 

using a sperm donor

Our sperm donor program is tailored for individuals who are unable to conceive with their own sperm or lack access to quality sperm.

Our embryo donation program

After completing their families through IVF treatment, couples and individuals may choose to donate their surplus embryos to others in need.

Victorian donation laws

"All donor procedures in Victoria are regulated by the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008. Under this Act treatment from one donor may result in only ten women having children who are genetic siblings. This includes children the donor has had with their current and former partners. Donors may choose to donate to fewer than 10 women.

It is an offence under the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 to intentionally receive or offer to receive payment for donation other than travel and medical expenses actually incurred".

Changes to the assisted reproductive treatment act

Since 2015 there have been various changes to the Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) Act (2008) regarding donors and donor-conceived offspring.

In February 2016, the Victorian government passed an amendment to the ;ART Act (2008) allowing donor-conceived Victorians from egg, sperm or embryo donation access to identifying information about their donors without the donor’s consent no matter when the donation took place. This change took effect from 1st March 2017.

This change will allow donor conceived Victorians the right to knowledge about their genetic origin which may contribute to their sense of identity as well as allow the exchange of medical information and provide for future family planning.

In June 2015, changes to the Victorian ART Act allowed for the provision of access to information about donors for persons born from donations made prior to 1 July 1988. This change enabled access for people conceived from gametes or embryos donated prior 1st July 1988 to identifying information about donors where available and with the consent of the donors.

Allowing donor conceived offspring access to information and/or contact as well as allowing donors to have a say about if or how this occurs, is a balanced way of meeting donors and donor-conceived offsprings’ needs. Melbourne IVF has by request linked donor conceived offspring with donors and the vast majority of our donors have agreed to contact or the provision of information in some form and have reported very positive outcomes as a result.

How will this impact me?

Allowing exchange of medical information

The change to this section of the bill is to provide a mechanism to enable medical information to be disclosed between donors and their offspring and between the donor conceived siblings if it is necessary to save a person’s life or to warn about a genetic or hereditary condition that may be harmful.

Whilst Melbourne IVF has already helped some patients to disclose medical information, there is no mechanism in the Act 2008 Act for disclosure of medical information.

Prior to disclosure, a doctor needs to certify in writing that disclosure is necessary to (a) save a person’s life or to (b) warn the person about the existence of a genetic or hereditary condition that may be harmful to that person or that person’s descendants.

For the purposes of disclosing medical information, an ART provider can make a request of BDM and BDM can disclose identifying information to an ART provider in relation to a donor, donor conceived person or parent.

ART providers can only disclose non identifying medical information. The disclosure must be made by a doctor on behalf of an ART provider – disclosure can also extend to a person’s doctor.

Information can be disclosed without the consent of the person to whom the information relates

Importantly, ART providers are not required to disclose medical information.

Expanding counselling and donor linking

The Bill seeks to provide for increased counselling and donor-linking services (an intermediary service in the exchange of information and contact between donor conception stakeholders).

Currently, VARTA manages the donor registers whilst donor linkage counselling is managed by Family Information Networks and Discovery (FIND). The legislation currently does not allow for sharing of information between VARTA and FIND to facilitate the support and preparation of parties for linking. The change in the Bill will see the exchange of information between VARTA and the counsellor to assist with the effectiveness of the counselling sessions.

VARTA will still manage the donor registers and will continue to manage education and registration of ART clinics and other functions under the ART Act, but will also have an increased role in counselling to a wide array of donor conception stakeholders. This means VARTA will act as an intermediary in the exchange of information and contact between donor conception stakeholders.

If you donated at Melbourne IVF prior to 1988 or are a recipient or a donor conceived offspring of a donor who donated prior to 1988 and would like to understand more how this change in law will impact you, you can contact the Melbourne IVF counselling team on 1800 111 483 or the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Association (VARTA) on (03) 8601 5250.

Determining applications for advertisements of donor eggs

This last change to the Bill will allow VARTA the responsibility to review and decide applications relating to advertising for egg donors under the Human Tissue Act 1982.

It is has always been a legal requirement that prior to advertising for an egg donor to have the advertisement officially approved by the Minister for Health. VARTA is now responsible for this approval. A brochure on finding an egg donor has been developed to help recipients feel more confident in finding a local egg donor with a step-by-step guide and a list of questions to discuss with their donor, you can download this below.

Find out More

For further information about this topic, please contact us at 1800 111 483

Read more about the legislative changes on the VARTA website

Rights for donor-conceived individuals

The identity of the de-identified donors is not known to the recipient but under current Victorian legislation, the donor must give explicit consent to providing identifying information to VARTA.

When the child is aged 18 they will be able to access this information, or in some circumstances under 18, if the parent(s) consent to this or a counsellor who has provided counselling to the donor conceived child advises the registrar in writing that the child is sufficiently mature to understand the consequences of disclosure.

For more information about the registrars please visit VARTA.

Donor Costs

The table below outlines the available programs offered at MIVF as well as the donor management fees, and cycle costs associated with your chosen program.

Please note that the cycle costs outlined are a rough guide only. Once a treatment plan has been prescribed by your fertility specialist, a member of our patient liaison team will be able to provide you with a more detailed quote. Eligibility for Medicare rebate will vary depending on medical reasons identified by your fertility specialist. The donor management fees listed are inclusive of many services including screening tests, counselling appointments, review of donors by our Fertility Specialists, regulatory reporting and much more.  These services are required to prepare us to clear you and your chosen donor for treatment. For more information regarding the donor management fee a member of our patient liaison team will be happy to provide you with a more information.

Service (1st July 2022)Cost

Sperm donation

Clinic recruited donor sperm management fees1st instalment $350 to be placed on a waitlist - 2nd instalment $1647 for donor sperm allocation
Known sperm donor management fee$1997

Egg donation

Clinic recruited Egg donor management fees1st instalment $350 to be placed on a waitlist - 2nd instalment $3600 for egg allocation
Known egg donor management fee $2532

Embryo donation

Embryo donor management fee1st instalment $350 to be placed on Waitlist - 2nd instalment $2182 for donor Embryo allocation
Known embryo donor management fee$2532
Surrogacy donor management fee$5013
Treatment Costs correct at 1st October 2023Cycle payment (treatment)
ICSI cycle from$13,480
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) from$2,789
Egg Thaw from$6,252
Embryo Thaw from$3,842