Find Your Tribe: Join a Donor Egg Support Group

Updated September 2026

A donor egg support group is a moderated community, usually online, where people considering donor eggs, going through treatment, or already raising a donor-conceived child can talk openly with others who understand. The strongest options right now include Infertility Unfiltered, Hopeful Mama Foundation, Parents Via Egg Donation (PVED), Paths to Parenthub, and RESOLVE, and they differ quite a bit in cost, format, and which stage of the process they serve best.

What is a donor egg support group?

A donor egg support group is a space, led by peers or trained facilitators, where intended parents and parents via egg donation share experiences, ask questions they may not feel comfortable raising with friends or family, and hear from people who have already made the same decisions. Many of these groups were started by women who used donor eggs themselves and could not find that kind of community when they needed it.

The need for donor eggs is more common than most people realize. The World Health Organization estimates that about 1 in 6 people worldwide experience infertility at some point in their lives,¹ and European fertility guidelines recommend that emotional and social support be part of routine fertility care, alongside the medical side of treatment.² A group will not replace your clinic or a licensed counselor, but it gives you something neither of those can: people who are living the same questions you are.

Victoria Niño, a mother of two via donor eggs and the founder of Infertility Unfiltered, put it simply when she wrote about letting go of the genetic child she had imagined:

"I highly recommend joining a donor conception support group."

Which donor egg support groups can you join?

The five groups below all serve intended parents or parents via egg donation, and each one works a little differently. Details reflect what each organization lists on its own site as of September 2026, so check their pages for current dates and pricing.

Infertility Unfiltered

Infertility Unfiltered is an education and support platform founded by Victoria Niño, who became a mother twice through egg donation after years of fertility treatment. Its programs are organized around where you are in the process, which makes it easy to pick a starting point:

• Donor Conception Decision is a self-paced course with video lessons and worksheets for people who are still weighing whether donor conception is right for them.
• Donor Conception Journey Series is a live, six-week Zoom class for anyone considering or actively pursuing donor eggs, donor sperm, or donor embryos, covering genetic grief, epigenetics, and perspectives from donor-conceived adults.
• Donor Conception Destination Series is a six-week class for parents and parents-to-be that focuses on bonding, the words your family will use, and how to tell your child about their conception.
• Journey to Healing Series supports anyone experiencing infertility, at any stage, who needs help with the emotional side before thinking about next steps.

Each live series is capped at about 20 participants, and partners or support people can attend at no additional cost. Victoria is also a Donor Nexus brand ambassador who writes regularly for our blog, and you can follow her on Instagram at @expectinganything.

Hopeful Mama Foundation

Hopeful Mama Foundation is a nonprofit founded by Emily Patel that offers support groups, educational workshops, and financial grants for women facing infertility. Its virtual groups meet on Zoom, and the lineup includes a Donor Conception group that meets monthly, along with groups for general infertility, secondary infertility, and new moms. The foundation also runs in-person groups in Marion and Ankeny, Iowa.

The Hopeful Mama Grant helps cover treatment costs for eligible applicants, and you can find it along with other options on our IVF grants resource list. Donor Nexus is a proud sponsor of the foundation's annual Sip & Shop for Hope fundraiser in Cedar Rapids, and Emily has shared her own experience on our blog in her essay on whether a donor-conceived child will feel like your own.

Parents Via Egg Donation (PVED)

Parents Via Egg Donation is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Portland, Oregon, founded by Marna Gatlin after she struggled to find reliable information about egg donation during her own treatment. Its members-only forum has more than 25 discussion boards covering everything from choosing a donor to pregnancy and parenting, plus "ask the expert" boards where a reproductive endocrinologist, a lawyer, a midwife, and a mental health therapist answer questions.

Membership is limited to intended parents and parents via egg donation, embryo donation, or egg donor surrogacy, and PVED staff call each applicant before approving access, which keeps the space private. Members also get access to a private Facebook group.

Paths to Parenthub

Paths to Parenthub is a UK-based membership community for people building families through donor conception, led by founder Becky Kearns, a mum through egg donation, and co-director Hayley King. Members can join monthly virtual support groups and live sessions with professionals or work through a library of more than 100 on-demand webinars, and the community actively welcomes LGBTQ+ families and solo parents. Everything is online, so you can take part from wherever you live.

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

RESOLVE runs a national directory of support groups. Its peer-led groups are free, usually last about an hour, and work on a drop-in basis, with virtual groups open to people anywhere and in-person groups in local communities. RESOLVE also lists professionally led groups run by licensed mental health professionals, which are smaller and may carry a fee. These groups are not specific to donor eggs, but they are a good first step if cost is a concern or you would like to meet people in person.

How do you choose the right group for where you are?

The best group is the one built for your current stage, because the questions you have while deciding on donor eggs are very different from the ones that come up once you are pregnant or explaining donor conception to a toddler. Use the table below as a starting point.

A few other questions can help narrow it down. Consider whether you prefer a live conversation at a set time or a forum you can check whenever you have a minute, whether you want a group only for donor conception or a broader infertility group, and whether you would like your partner in the room. It is also completely fine to try one group, see how it feels, and move on if it is not the right fit.

What happens in an intended parents support group?

Most intended parents support groups follow a similar rhythm: a facilitator opens with introductions and a topic, members share as much or as little as they want, and the group closes with resources or next steps. Class-style series add short lessons or guest experts, such as genetic counselors, therapists, or adults who were donor-conceived, while forums work more like an ongoing conversation you can join at any hour.

You do not have to talk in your first session. Plenty of people listen for a few meetings before sharing, and moderated groups ask members to keep what is said in the group private. Common topics include grieving a genetic connection, choosing between fresh and frozen donor eggs, how much to tell family and friends, and what happens after IVF with your own eggs has not worked.

Fertility coach Meta Getman, a mother of two through donor eggs, names seeking support as one of three lessons she shares in her story on our blog, along with processing your emotions and grieving the genetic loss.

Where do parents via egg donation find support after the baby arrives?

Parents via egg donation often find that new questions show up after birth, especially around bonding, the language their family will use, and when and how to talk with their child about donor conception. Several groups are designed for exactly this stage, including Infertility Unfiltered's Donor Conception Destination Series, the parenting boards on PVED's forum, and Paths to Parenthub's community, which supports donor conception families at every stage.

If you are starting to plan those conversations, our guide to talking to your child about donor conception covers what to say at different ages. Victoria Niño's children's book, Our Hearts Match, is another gentle way to introduce the story to young children, and hearing how other parents handled it in a group can make those first conversations feel much less daunting.

Where can you hear from other parents via egg donation?

The Donor Nexus YouTube channel is a free library of real conversations about egg and embryo donation, including stories from intended parents, donor experiences, and interviews with fertility experts. It is a helpful companion to a support group, because you can watch on your own time and come to your next meeting with a clearer sense of what you want to ask.

Victoria Niño's playlist follows her path from years of fertility treatment to becoming a mother of two through donor eggs:

A few more of Victoria's videos we recommend:

• My only regret using donor eggs
• My experience bonding with my donor egg baby
• Epigenetics and fetal maternal microchimerism
• A mother via egg donation, twice, shares her experience with the Donor Nexus egg bank

Victoria also writes for our blog, including her posts on donor egg grief and what her donor egg pregnancies were really like.

When should you talk to a fertility counselor as well?

A support group is a great place for connection, but it works best alongside professional care when feelings of grief, anxiety, or relationship strain start to affect your daily life. A licensed mental health professional who specializes in fertility can also help you and your partner work through the donor egg decision together, and many clinics include a consultation as part of donor egg treatment. RESOLVE's directory lists professionally led groups, and your fertility clinic can usually refer you to a counselor who understands donor conception.

Common questions

Are donor egg support groups free?

Some are. RESOLVE's peer-led groups are free, and Hopeful Mama Foundation lists no fee for its groups, although registration is required. PVED, Paths to Parenthub, and Infertility Unfiltered charge for membership or class series, which typically pays for moderation, expert sessions, and smaller group sizes.

Can my partner join a donor egg support group?

Often, yes. Infertility Unfiltered's live series include a partner or support person at no extra charge, and PVED's forum is open to moms, dads, and parents-to-be. Other groups, such as some of Hopeful Mama Foundation's, are designed specifically for women, so check each group's description before you register.

Are there support groups for parents via egg donation after the baby is born?

Yes. Infertility Unfiltered's Donor Conception Destination Series, PVED's parenting boards, and Paths to Parenthub all support parents raising donor-conceived children, including how to talk with your child about their story.

Are there in-person donor egg support groups?

In-person groups specific to donor eggs are less common than virtual ones. RESOLVE's directory lists in-person infertility groups in many areas, Hopeful Mama Foundation hosts in-person groups in Iowa, and your fertility clinic may know of local meetups.

Do I have to share my story in a support group?

No. Listening is always an option, and many people attend a few sessions before speaking. Moderated groups ask members to keep what is shared private.

Is there support for people using donor embryos?

Yes. PVED's forum includes embryo donation, and Infertility Unfiltered's Donor Conception Journey Series is open to people pursuing donor eggs, donor sperm, or donor embryos. Paths to Parenthub also supports donor conception families broadly.

What to read next

• Donor Egg Grief: How I Let Go of the Genetic Child I Imagined
• What Happens After IVF Fails? Grief, Donor Eggs, and Finding Your Way Forward
• Talking to Your Child About Donor Conception: Practical Guidance

Sources

1. World Health Organization. "1 in 6 people globally affected by infertility: WHO." News release, April 4, 2023. who.int
2. Gameiro S, Boivin J, Dancet E, et al. "ESHRE guideline: routine psychosocial care in infertility and medically assisted reproduction, a guide for fertility staff." Human Reproduction. 2015;30(11):2476-2485. academic.oup.com
3. Infertility Unfiltered. "Virtual Series" and "Meet Our Team." Accessed September 2026. infertilityunfiltered.com
4. Hopeful Mama Foundation. "Support & Resources." Accessed September 2026. hopefulmamafoundation.org
5. Parents Via Egg Donation. "About PVED" and "Community." Accessed September 2026. pved.org
6. Paths to Parenthub. Accessed September 2026. pathstoparenthub.com
7. RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. "Find a Support Group." Accessed September 2026. resolve.org