Egg donation, also known as Ovodonation or Donor Egg IVF, is an assisted reproduction technique that allows women who cannot become mothers with their own oocytes to become pregnant thanks to the donation of another woman’s eggs.
In this article we will explain everything you need to know about egg donation, from when it is recommended, to the procedure and its success rates.
What does Egg Donation consist of?
Egg donation is a process in which women who meet a series of requirements (age, state of health, fertility, etc.) donate their oocytes so that other women, who cannot conceive with their own eggs, can become pregnant.
Egg donation is a technique that is always used in conjunction with in vitro fertilisation. Depending on the patient’s situation, the donated eggs can be fertilised with her partner’s sperm or with donor sperm if she does not have a male partner or if he does not have good quality sperm.
How is the donor chosen?
Egg donation is a completely voluntary process and, depending on where the donation takes place, the physical discomfort and expenses involved may be remunerated. Currently, egg donation is a very controlled procedure that does not pose any danger to the person who undergoes it.
Spanish legislation regulating Assisted Reproduction – Law 14/2006 – establishes that the donor must meet the following requirements:
– Be between 18 and 35 years old
– Be in good physical and mental health
– Not suffer from infectious diseases
– Not carry genetic, hereditary diseases
– Not have donated gametes more than six times in Spain resulting in children being born.
At IVFforYOU, our gynaecologists carry out a preliminary study of the donor and personally choose the most suitable donor for each patient. To do this, they analyse their clinical history, fertility, serological profile and, additionally, specific tests are carried out to rule out any complications or genetic alterations.
Your first Assisted Reproduction visit free of charge
When is Donor egg IVF recommended?
IVF with Egg Donation is recommended for patients who present:
– Difficulty to conceive on their own due to ovarian failure
– Genetic alterations that can be transmitted to the offspring.
– Low ovarian reserve
– Advanced age
– Recurrent miscarriages
– Previous unsuccessful assisted reproduction cycles
Phases of an In Vitro Fertilisation with Donor Egg
Phases of an In Vitro Fertilisation with Donor Egg
Diagnostic tests
Egg donor
Ovarian stimulation
Sperm sample
Egg donor follicular puncture
IVF Laboratory
Preparation of womb lining
Embryo culture
Embryo transfer
Pregnancy test
How to prepare the womb lining for a Donor Egg IVF
In the process of IVF with egg donation, it is essential to ensure that the endometrium is prepared for the embryo implantation in the uterus.
The preparation consists of thickening the endometrium to make it more receptive. To do this, oestrogen and progesterone are administered to the patient orally, vaginally or transcutaneously.
This process is very simple for the patient, but a priority for the correct reception of the embryo.
Success rate of IVF with egg donation
The chances of success of Donor Egg IVF will vary depending on many factors, including the recipient’s medical history and the quality of the partner’s sperm.
In addition, it is important to note that, in order to achieve better results in an egg donation cycle, it is always advisable to use fresh oocytes, that is, oocytes that have not undergone a freezing and thawing process.
In general, in vitro fertilisation with donor egg is one of the assisted reproduction treatments with the best success rates, mainly due to the use of good quality oocytes from young women.
At IVFforYOU we strive to work exclusively with fresh eggs. This helps us to have a very high pregnancy rate for Donor Egg IVF: 91.5% success rate per cycle.
Advantages of Egg Donation
– Very high success rates compared to other assisted reproductive tecniques
– Recipient does not have to undergo ovarian stimulation; the treatment to prepare the womb lining does not require any injections
– No anaesthesia or sedation for the recipient
– Pre-testing of the donor to rule out genetic alterations
– Reduced risk of miscarriage due to chromosomal abnormalities linked to oocyte age
How much does IVF with Egg Donation cost in Spain?
The prices of Donor Egg IVF will vary depending on the medical centre where you carry out your treatment. Likewise, the total cost will depend on the medical tests requested of each patient according to their situation. Generally, in Spain IVF with egg donation can cost up to €9,000.
At IVFforYOU the IVF treatment with Egg Donation has a very competitive price of €3,900 and includes the following:
- Guidance, programming and medical control of the cycle
- Donor selection with suitable allocation. Assignment of back-up donor
- Study of the donor: clinical history, ultrasound and laboratory tests with full blood works including blood clotting and serologies (HIV 1 and 2, hepatitis B and C and syphilis). Genetic tests: karyotype and screening of the 50 most frequent Cystic Fibrosis mutations
- Synchronisation of donor/recipient menstrual cycle
- Selection and medical tests of the egg donor
- Stimulation and egg collection of the donor
- Donor's operating theatre and outpatient hospitalisation
- In vitro fertilisation of four fresh mature oocytes
- Embryo culture and transfer
- Pregnancy test
- Follow-up until the first ultrasound scan of pregnancy
If you are looking for a fertility centre, we invite you to write to us, the first visit is free of charge!
Source: Ley 14/2006 sobre técnicas de reproducción humana asistida
