IVF WITH DONOR EGG
IVF with donor eggs has excellent success rates, and we welcome all women and couples, whatever your relationship status or previous diagnosis.
What is IVF with donor eggs?
Egg donation is a form of fertility treatment used by women who are unable, for whatever reason, to use their own eggs to have a child. In egg donation, we use eggs that have been donated by an egg donor. The woman donating her eggs is known as the donor and the woman who receives the fertilized eggs (embryos) is known as the recipient.
Who is it for?
- Situations where you might consider using a donor egg are:
- Women who do not produce their own eggs, for reasons such as age or premature menopause
- Women who have a low chance of success using their own eggs
- Women who are facing known fertility challenges
- Women whose own eggs carry a risk of a genetic disorder
- Where the function of the woman's ovaries has been impaired, for example in cases of cancer treatment
What is the egg donation process?
- The fertility egg donation process involves retrieving eggs from a woman who has normally functioning ovaries. Following egg retrieval, the eggs are fertilized in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) lab using sperm from the receiving couple’s partner, or in certain situations with donor sperm. Following fertilization in the laboratory and growth of the embryos for either 3 or 5 days, the resulting embryos are transferred to the uterus of the woman who wishes to carry the baby. If a pregnancy is established, the receiving woman becomes the mother carrying the developing baby through the full term of the pregnancy and childbirth – with all the joys of experience that this affords.
- With egg donation as an infertility treatment, thousands of couples have become parents with assistance. A couple may choose to know the identity of the woman donating the eggs, and vice versa, or the parties may choose to remain anonymous. Occasionally, a woman will have a younger sister, niece or friend donate eggs for them to use.