Egg Donation

Egg donation is the option of utilizing donated eggs to create embryos. The woman who agrees to donate her eggs undergoes the same process as in IVF up to the point of egg collection. The embryos created using the husband’s sperm are then cultured and then selected for transfer into the uterus (womb) of the wife. Fresh embryos may be transferred if the cycles of the recipient woman and donor are synchronized or alternatively, these may be frozen for later use.

The option is offered to

• older women,
• women with poor quality of eggs
• women with low ovarian reserve
• women with genetic diseases
• when ovaries are not functioning
• when ovaries have been surgically removed

Prior to acceptance, the recipient couple is screened to ensure fitness to carry pregnancy and to confirm that they are free from infections (HIV 1&2, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C). There are two options for the recipient transfer. The traditional option is to synchronize the donor and recipient cycles and to transfer the selected fresh embryos into the recipient after medications to prepare the (endometrium) uterine lining. The other option is to freeze the embryos and use them as per the convenience of the recipient in a future cycle.

By Law, egg donation can only be done anonymously in India. The egg donors are usually sourced through agencies that offer to assist in Third-party reproduction.

The egg donors are in the age group of 21 to 35 years, preferably married and having at least one child of their own. After a detailed medical history and ultrasound examination, the donors undergo medical tests to confirm that they are healthy and free of Infectious diseases – HIV1&2, Syphilis, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. The donor also undergoes psychological screening and medical counseling to ensure they understand the risks and implications of egg donation. The husband of the donor is also tested for infectious diseases prior to acceptance of the donor.

The process of ovarian stimulation is identical to IVF. The donor receives approximately ten days of injections to stimulate the formation of multiple follicles. Once ready, the donor receives a trigger injection followed by egg collection 36 hours later. The eggs are then fertilized using the sperm of the recipient’s husband. The embryos are then cultured for 5-6 days till they reach the Blastocyst stage and are either transferred into the uterus of the recipient or frozen for later use.

Success rates of Donor egg IVF cycles are high as the age of the selected donor is younger than 35 years.