Egg Donation
Oocyte donation allows women who cannot conceive with there own eggs to become pregnant. The first successful pregnancy and delivery from oocyte donation was reported in 1984 from a woman that had premature ovarian failure.
Premature ovarian failure is one indication for oocyte donation. Other indications include carriers of genetic disorders, diminished ovarian reserve, advanced maternal age, women whose ovaries were removed, and repetitive IVF failure.
The source of donated eggs can be an anonymous or known donor. The egg donors undergo ovarian stimulation with fertility medications and egg retrieval for the sole purpose of donating their eggs to an infertile couple. Generally egg donors are young, under the age of 34 and fertile. Egg donors must undergo a thorough screening process before being accepted as an egg donor. This screening process includes infectious disease testing, psychological evaluation, laboratory testing, physical exam, medical evaluation, and genetic screening.
The recipient couple of oocyte donation also undergoes an evaluation, some testing, and an examination. Once all the screening and evaluation of the recipient couple and egg donor is successfully completed, treatment begins. The donor and recipient cycles are usually synchronized. The recipient is being prepared to receive the donated eggs with hormone replacement treatment while the egg donor is receiving fertility drugs to stimulate her ovaries. Once the donated eggs are retrieved they are fertilized in-vitro with the recipient partner’s sperm. All the resulting embryos are then available for the recipient couples use. Usually, two embryos are transferred into the recipients uterus and excess embryos are cryopreserved for later use.
Oocyte donation has allowed many women previously thought unable to conceive, to be able to realize the dream of having a child.
There are many egg donation agencies available for patients to obtain high-quality oocytes. Although LifeStart Fertility Center does not endorse specific agencies, a few examples for reference are The World Egg Bank, Fertility Alternatives Inc, Creating New Generations and Egg Donation, Inc.
We highly recommend visiting the Center For Disease Control website as they have much information about national success rates on oocyte donation as well as success of IVF based on the age of the female.
LifeStart Fertility Center welcomes the opportunity to assist you in realizing your dreams. Please feel free to contact us with any questions about the services we offer as well as to set up an initial consultation.
