Creating families. For many, it’s an easily attained lifetime achievement. But too many others are unable to realize parenthood because of fertility issues.

Alternative Reproductive Resources helps make parenthood possible. Since 1992, our agency has been creating a community, including trusted medical professionals, intended parents, and the egg donors and gestational surrogates whose assistance make it all possible.

The use of assisted reproductive technology can be an overwhelming and confusing path. The growing use of donors as a solution to fertility problems has also raised legal and ethical concerns. We at ARR have set the bar on standards in our quest to help people like you – intended parents, egg donors or surrogates – achieve the best possible outcome. Our dedication to upholding these standards is reflected in our code of ethics.

Explore our Web site to learn more about our approach, and we welcome you to contact us directly.

When it comes to alternative routes to creating families, I don’t know if we in the U.S. realize how much our culture has resulted in an environment that eases the way.

This was brought home to me when I traveled to the Netherlands at the end of June to attend the annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, the equivalent of our American Society of Reproductive Medicine. Outside of the U.S., sensitivities are very high around egg donation. In Spain, egg donations are allowed, but compensation is limited to €900. In other European nations, however, donations are banned altogether or are “donations” in the strictest sense of the word. And that’s true outside of Europe, as well. At ESHRE’s meeting, I had an long conversation with an Egyptian physician, for example, and learned that while selective reduction (which is controversial here) is routinely practiced, egg donation is illegal. And Australia continues to be watched as it weighs the compensation issue.

Here as there, a fair amount of confusion involves the issue of “paying women for their eggs.” In fact, they’re getting compensated for their time and effort, which is not insignificant, as I pointed out in a recent USA Today article. But even that perspective won’t shift attitudes outside of the U.S., which means we still provide the most open environments for family creation.

Best regards,