Jul 14, 2026
When a donor is confirmed pregnant, many producers assume her role in the breeding program is on hold until after calving.
The reality? For many donors, pregnancy doesn’t have to pause genetic progress.
With the right timing and experienced technicians, eligible pregnant donors can continue producing embryos during pregnancy, allowing producers to maximize the value of elite females while preparing for the next generation.
If you’ve ever wondered whether collecting a pregnant donor is safe—or whether it’s worth it—here’s what you need to know.
Yes. For eligible donors, aspiration (OPU) can be safely performed during pregnancy when conducted by experienced technicians.
At Trans Ova, each donor is evaluated individually before collection. Our technicians determine whether they can safely access the ovaries while protecting both the pregnancy and the donor’s long-term productivity.
The health of the donor and her pregnancy always comes first. If a collection cannot be performed safely, we won’t proceed.
In many cases, pregnant donors can continue producing embryos until approximately 100 to 120 days of gestation.
Rather than following a fixed calendar, eligibility depends on each individual donor. As pregnancy progresses, the uterus naturally shifts position, which can eventually make the ovaries difficult to access.
Our technicians evaluate every donor at the time of collection to determine whether OPU can be performed safely.
The biggest reason is simple:
They don’t want genetic progress to wait.
Elite donors represent years of careful selection and a significant financial investment. Instead of waiting until after calving to resume embryo production, producers can continue creating opportunities while the donor carries the next generation.
Collecting pregnant donors allows producers to:
It’s another way to get more from the genetics you’ve already invested in.
Every donor responds differently, so embryo production varies from animal to animal.
However, the objective isn’t necessarily to produce more embryos per collection—it’s to create more opportunities over the lifetime of the donor.
By continuing collections during eligible stages of pregnancy, many producers can generate additional embryos they otherwise wouldn’t have had if they waited until after calving.
Those extra embryos can translate into:
For many operations, that means making meaningful progress during months that would otherwise be inactive.
Pregnancy doesn’t have to signal a pause in your breeding program.
With the right management and experienced technicians, many pregnant donors can continue producing embryos safely, helping you maximize your investment while accelerating genetic progress.
From July 1 through September 30, eligible Trans Ova tiered clients can receive $100 off each pregnant donor OPU, with the discount available for up to three collections per donor.
If you’re ready to keep your breeding program moving forward, now is the perfect time to explore whether your donors qualify.
Visit our Pregnant Donor Promotion page to learn more, view upcoming service dates, and see if your donors are eligible.