In vitro fertilization with donor eggs is a fertility treatment that has been available for several decades. The main indications are the advanced age of the woman and the production of low quality eggs.

Egg donors are healthy, young women up to 35 years old, of normal weight, with no family history of genetic or psychiatric disorders. In Greece the egg donation process is anonymous. This means that the couple will not receive information that could potentially identify their donor and the donor cannot be a family member.

Egg donation process

• The donor initially undergoes hormonal ovarian stimulation in order to produce multiple follicles, contrary to her natural menstrual cycle, where only one dominant follicle will be selected. When the follicles have reached the final stage of maturation, oocyte collection is scheduled.
• The partner’s sperm is used on the day of ovulation (fresh or cryopreserved) to fertilize the eggs.
• The fertilized embryos remain for 5 days under monitoring and evaluation of their development and then will be transferred to the recipient’s uterus (fresh transfer).

How is donor-recipient matching performed?

Due to the anonymity of the egg donor is very important that the donor is properly matched to the recipient. The natural characteristics such as skin color, hair color, height, eye color, as well as the blood group and the immunization are taking under consideration during the matching process. Some recipients also wish to have a choice in terms of level of education and profession.

Who are the women who may need an egg donation?

There are women who discover that it would be extremely difficult or even impossible to conceive with their own eggs. There are many different reasons for this. The most important are:

• Absence of ovaries (genetic syndrome)
• Women who are going to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• Women with premature menopause or in perimenopausal period
• Women who have low ovarian storage or have had repeated failed IVF attempts using their gametes
• Women with hereditary diseases or chromosomal abnormalities
• Women with rare genetic diseases who do not want to transmit the abnormal gene
• Women over 44, who have difficulty in conceiving, regardless of the cause of infertility

Important Comment!

It has been observed that the success rates with egg donation treatment are similar to oocyte cryopreservation. The social egg freezing became the “new egg donation” perception… Donate eggs to yourself for future usage and with the same probabilities of success as the age of the eggs have been collected!

Consult the specialist in Human Reproduction and In Vitro Fertilization Obstetrician-Gynecologist Dr. Melina Stasinou, for a personalized diagnosis and a tailored fertility treatment according to your fertility potential.