Egg donation is a process in which a fertile woman donates an egg, oocyte, to another woman to help her conceive. The procedure typically involves a doctor removing an egg or eggs from the donor, fertilizing them in a laboratory with intended father’s sperms, and then transferring the resulting embryos into the intended mother’s uterus.
Indications For Donor Egg Program
- Advanced maternal age
- Known genetic disorders
- Poor ovarian reserve, premature ovarian failure
- Multiple IVF failure owing to poor quality of eggs
Donor Screening
Women from registered donor banks are screened to suit the intending couple. Donors between 23 to 35 years of age, who are married with one normal living child are chosen as per guidelines. Donors chosen are healthy with no known medical disorders in them or in their immediate family. Donors are often matched with the recipient for physical characteristics and blood group. Investigations are done to see her fitness and suitability for IVF stimulation and oocyte donation. Once chosen, appropriate counseling is done and consents are obtained for egg donation. Donation of eggs and conceiving through IVF donor eggs is legal and kept confidential.
Once the donor is selected, donor undergoes IVF stimulation and donates her oocytes which are fertilized by recipient’s sperms and the resulting embryos are frozen. These embryos are later transferred into recipient after preparing her for embryo transfer using hormone replacement therapy.
Donor Sperms Program
Sperm donation is a program in which a healthy man donates his semen for the purpose of being utilized by a couple to become pregnant in whom its otherwise not possible due to lack of sperms or other male infertility related issues.
Indications for donor sperms
- Azoospermia
- Severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia
- Severe Rh incompatibility
- Known genetic disorders
- HIV discordant couple.
- Repeated IVF failures/ fertilization failures
- Single parent
Donor semen samples are obtained by fertility clinics through registered ART banks. Donors are usually screened for medical diseases and sexually transmitted diseases. Samples can be obtained as per requirements of couple to match them. Donor will be kept anonymous. Samples are obtained in frozen state which are later thawed, possessed and utilized for IUI/ IVF treatment.
Donor Embryo Program
Couple unable to conceive through their own gametes can opt for donor embryo program which is like adoption before birth. Here, embryos formed from egg donors and sperm donors are transferred to womb of intending mother to achieve pregnancy. The procedure is legal and the resulting baby will be the legal child of the couple.