Embryo donation is a family-building process in which embryos created through IVF are donated by one individual or couple to another for the purpose of achieving pregnancy. In many cases, the donating family has completed their own reproductive journey and chooses to help others build a family.

Legally, embryo donation sits at the intersection of reproductive law, contract law,  parentage law and estate planning. In recent years, a growing number of states have begun to treat embryos differently under their laws, with some moving toward personhood frameworks that affect how embryos may be managed for specific medical treatment, stored, donated, or discarded. Because the legal landscape varies significantly by jurisdiction, both the structure of the arrangement and the law governing it are very important.