Egg Donation

Infertility is plaguing society today. Many infertile couples can fulfil the dream of having a baby with the advent of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Parenthood has come true for many couples, with developments in reproductive medicine.

Egg donation is required when the Female infertile couple is diagnosed with inadequate egg production or poor egg quality. Egg donation is a process that involves obtaining eggs from another woman (donor). Fertilization of donor eggs with the sperms of the male counterpart of the infertile couple takes place in the laboratory by IVF. Later the embryo formed is transferred to the uterus of the female of the infertile couple.

There are several reasons for which egg donation is needful

• Premature ovarian failure- Menopause commences at an early age, before 40 yrs of age

• Menopause

• Ovarian agenesis—absent Ovaries

• Bilateral oophorectomy

• As a consequence of cancer chemotherapy

• Inherited genetic diseases

• Poor quality eggs

• Recurrent IVF failure

• Inaccessible ovaries

Egg donors are anonymous identities unrevealed to the recipients. Prospective egg donors come through egg donation programmes or certain agencies.

In an Egg donation IVF program, donor eggs can come in various ways that are:

• Frozen eggs from egg banks (stored eggs).

• Egg sharing with ongoing young IVF patients in the same IVF centre.

• A medically fit young donor donates her eggs.

• Firstly finding an egg donor.

• The recipient woman is treated with hormones to prepare her for accepting the embryo. If the ovaries of a recipient are functional, her menstrual cycle coincides with that of the donor’s menstrual cycle with treatment.

• Meanwhile, the donor is also treated with hormonal injections to produce super-ovulation.

• Once donor eggs are ready, they are retrieved and fertilized with the sperm of the recipient.

• After a few days, the embryo/s undergo implantation in the recipient’s uterus.

• Some donor eggs undergo freezing for later use for some other needy couple

The success of the egg donation IVF cycle depends upon a number of factors:

• Ages of donor: Medically fit young egg donors are suitable for egg donation programs. The chance of pregnancy is nearly the same in young and old recipients if the donor is young. GarbhaGudi IVF uses only fresh donor eggs from a young female donor.

• Egg quality: egg quality determines the embryo quality, pregnancy and birth.

• Endometrial Receptivity: The place of implantation of the embryo determines the success of Egg donation. In GarbhaGudi IVF, the fertilization of donor eggs by husband’s sperm takes place in CLOSED Working Chambers. The eggs and sperms during fertilization get the best environment (similar to as they should have got in the womb) so embryos formed are better, the success would be better.

• Embryo transfer: The placement of embryos in the womb is done under sonography guidance.

Especially in older recipients:

• Reduced risk of miscarriages

• Reduced risk of conceiving a child with chromosomal abnormalities.

• Multiple gestations.

So, to reduce the chances of multiple gestations, it is advisable to limit the number of embryos transferred to one or two. Single high-quality embryo transfer, also known as elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET), reduces the risk of multiple gestations to less than 1 per cent.

• Egg donation is the solution to infertility in those couples where the female has decreased eggs/ poor egg quality.

• Egg donation should be preferably from a medically fit young donor. Success rates of achieving pregnancy and favourable pregnancy outcomes are high with carefully chosen donor eggs.