Connecticut fertility clinic short on egg donors of color

NORWALK, Conn. (WTNH) — A Connecticut fertility clinic is raising awareness about a shortage of egg donors of color, which it says is causing stress for all races who want to have their children resemble them.

Tomeeko Hunt, 49, became a new mom less than three months ago.

Hunt says she always wanted to have children but was too focused on her career as a school administrator while completing two master’s degrees.

“I knew that I didn’t want to be a mom in the midst of school,” she said.

Hunt said that, eventually, the time came to have a child. Even though her doctor told her she was healthy, she decided to turn to in vitro fertilization due to her age and because “it wouldn’t be wise for me to go the natural route.”

Her doctor told Hunt that it wouldn’t be easy when it came to matching with a donor of the same race. But she said she was “blessed” she didn’t face those obstacles and was able to find a donor that also matched her genetically fairly quickly through CCRM Fertility.

“Literally within a week, I had already selected and was able to move on, but I know that’s not easy for everyone, especially for African Americans and Latinos,” Hunt said.

Hunt’s experience contradicts the IVF journey for many families of color who are trying to find an egg donor. Statistics show they typically have very few options.

According to Egg Donor USA, just 15% of the 300 donors in its database identified as Black. According to California Cryobank data, sperm donors are a similar story, with just 4% of their donors being Black.

Brooke Jones is one of the few Black egg donors out there. She’s undergone three cycles, starting in 2017.

“It was my second cycle,” Jones said. “I had a chance to speak with the family, and they were like, ‘Yeah, when we looked at these books. We don’t see anyone who looks like us.’”

Jones said there are several reasons more donors don’t look like her.

“There is that stigma of Black women not being supported or not trusting anyone in the health care field,” she said.

According to Dr. Mark Leondires, the founder and medical director of Illume Fertility, that stigma has existed for generations.

“If they ask their elders or their parents about it, they’re going to be like, ‘No, they’re going to take all your eggs,’” Leondires said. “There’s also this concept of what if you donate your eggs, what does that do to your family tree?”

Leondires said Black women experience nearly twice the rate of infertility compared to white women, making the demand for Black donors even higher. However, he said, there is a general need for more donors of all races, ethnicities and religions.

“All these niches that help us define who we are,” he said. “It feels comfortable for them and helps them make that move from not having any children to being a parent someday.”

So, what can be done to encourage more people of color to become an egg donor?

Jones said awareness is the first step. She also encourages people to do their own research and learn from doctors themselves about how they can help another family.

Have questions?

Have questions?

Have questions?

Have questions?

Have questions?

Have questions?

Have questions?

Have questions?

Connecticut fertility clinic short on egg donors of color

About CCRM

Press inquiries

To book one of our providers as an expert or learn more about press opportunities with CCRM, contact our marketing team at contentmarketing@ccrmivf.com.

Meet our team

We are committed to treating patients with compassion and the best possible evidence-based fertility care. Meet the executive leadership behind our network of providers.

About CCRM

Services

Patient resources

About fertility

Connect with us