Egg Donation
An alternative for women who have not achieved a successful pregnancy with their own eggs, offering a higher chance of success.
How does egg donation work within an IVF cycle?
In an IVF process, donated eggs are fertilized with sperm from the recipient’s partner (or a donor). The resulting embryos are then transferred to the recipient’s uterus.
Step-by-step process using donor eggs
1. Ovarian Stimulation in Donor
We begin by stimulating the donor’s ovaries to produce multiple eggs.
2. Endometrial Preparation (if direct donation)
If the donation is direct, we simultaneously prepare your endometrium while stimulating the donor’s ovaries.
3. Egg Retrieval
Once the eggs reach the appropriate size, the donor undergoes an eggretrieval procedure to gather the eggs.
4. Fertilization
In the IVF lab, we fertilize the retrieved eggs with sperm from either the partner or a donor to create embryos.
5. Embryo Transfer
After 6 days of development, the embryos are ready for transfer.
6. Pregnancy Test
Two weeks after the embryo transfer, we conduct a pregnancy test to confirm the success of the procedure.
How are Donors Selected?
Candidates for egg donation must meet the following criteria:
- Be between 18 and 30 years old.
- Be in good physical and mental health.
- Have no genetic, hereditary, or infectious diseases that could be passed on.
- Pass a gynecological evaluation to ensure normal reproductive function and good ovarian reserve.
Once all criteria are met, the candidate is accepted as a donor.
Your Baby and Epigenetics
The first concern for many women considering egg donation is, “Will my baby look like me?” To address this, we need to discuss epigenetics.
Epigenetics studies changes that affect gene activity without altering the DNA sequence, influencing gene expression.
Recent advancements show that the gestational mother plays a crucial role in embryonic development.
While the baby will have genetic characteristics from the egg and sperm, the nutrients it receives during development come from the mother’s uterus, influencing gene expression.
Success Rates: Egg Donation vs. Own Eggs
Egg donation has a high success rate because donors are under 30 years old, meaning the eggs are in their prime for fertilization. The age of the recipient is not a determining factor for success, though we recommend the procedure be done before the age of 52 due to pregnancy risks beyond this age.