Egg and Embryo Donation

The Promise of Egg Donation

Egg donation offers a viable path to parenthood for many individuals and couples struggling with infertility. This process involves using eggs from a young, healthy woman (the donor) and fertilizing them with the recipient’s partner’s sperm in a lab. The resulting embryos are then transferred to the recipient’s uterus. This method boasts a success rate of 30-40% and has enabled women well into their fifties to achieve pregnancy.

Why Consider Egg Donation?

Egg donation is a compassionate and effective option for a variety of reasons, particularly for women who face challenges with their own egg quality or supply.

Age-Related Fertility Decline: Many women prioritize their careers and delay having children, only to find that their egg quantity and quality have declined by their late 30s or 40s. While some can conceive naturally, a significant percentage may struggle. For these women, particularly those nearing or in perimenopause, donor eggs provide a solution.
Recurrent IVF/ICSI Failure: Women who have undergone multiple unsuccessful cycles of IVF or ICSI, despite having seemingly good quality embryos, may benefit from the higher success rates associated with donor eggs.
Premature Ovarian Failure: This condition, where the ovaries stop functioning prematurely, can occur in younger women. Egg donation is often the only option for them to carry a pregnancy.
Genetic Conditions: It’s a way to prevent the transmission of major chromosomal or genetic defects to a child.
Medical Treatments: Women who have undergone chemotherapy or radiation for cancer may have damaged or depleted egg reserves.

The Recipient’s Journey

The decision to use an egg donor is a personal one, made in consultation with medical staff. Any woman with a medical or genetic need for an egg donor can be a recipient, provided there are no health contraindications to pregnancy. Currently, the age limit is 55 years.

Before starting, both the recipient and her partner will be assessed by a physician and a psychiatrist. This ensures that the patient is both physically and mentally prepared for the emotional and physical demands of pregnancy and childbirth. If the partner has sperm-related issues, ICSI can be performed with the donor eggs.

Finding an Egg Donor

Finding an egg donor is often the most challenging part of the process. Several sources are available, each with its own considerations.

Known Donor: A sister or close relative can be an ideal donor. This approach, while genetically beneficial, requires a strong and trusting relationship to prevent potential conflicts later on, as the donor’s identity is not anonymous.
Altruistic Donor: Some women volunteer to donate their eggs for philosophical or compassionate reasons, without expecting financial compensation.
Paid Donor: This is a more controversial option. In some countries, like the U.S., donors are compensated for their time and effort. While historically considered illegal or unethical in some societies, recent legal changes in India have allowed for paid egg donation.
Egg Sharing: This mutually beneficial arrangement is gaining popularity. Young women undergoing IVF who produce a large number of eggs may agree to donate some to a recipient in exchange for a reduction in their own treatment costs. Anonymity is strictly maintained, benefiting both parties.

All donors, regardless of the type, undergo medical procedures that involve hormonal stimulation and surgical egg retrieval, which carry some inherent risks.

Embryo Donation: A Related Option

Embryo donation is a similar process but involves donating both the egg and the sperm. This is an excellent option for couples where both partners face fertility challenges.

Eligibility & Advantages: Patients eligible for egg donation can also consider embryo donation. It is often more cost-effective and can yield higher pregnancy rates (30-40%), as the embryos are typically of excellent quality.
Source of Embryos: Embryos are often donated by young couples who have completed their families through IVF and have remaining frozen embryos.
Confidentiality: This process is completely anonymous, with no contact or shared information between the donating and receiving couples.
Procedure: The recipient’s uterus is prepared with hormonal medication to ensure the lining is receptive to the embryo. The embryo transfer is a simple, non-surgical procedure. For menopausal women, hormonal therapy is used to re-establish a menstrual cycle before the transfer.