All people who rely on medical assistance in order to become pregnant have one thing in common: they really want a(nother) child. However for some, the only chance of fulfilling their wish is by the use of donated sperm, eggs or embryos. Others still, have the material at their disposal which could be used to help these people. At the CRG, we try to bring these two groups together when possible.

Two specific groups of patients who rely on donor material are single women and lesbian couples who want children. They can make use of donor sperm to fulfil their wish for a child. For the other patients, the need for donor material is largely due to two conditions: either there are no reproductive cells of their own available (the man or the woman is infertile) or the cells available are not suitable for use (either the man or the woman or both have some form of hereditary genetic abnormality).
If the man does not produce sperm cells, meaning that medically assisted conception methods such as artificial insemination or IVF/ICSI are not possible, AID (artificial insemination with the use of donor sperm) forms a viable alternative.
Similarly, in some cases, the woman does not produce sufficient egg cells, even though her partners' sperm is normal and healthy. The most significant cause of this is premature menopause: the early failure of ovarian function (before the age of fourty). Other reasons for the lack of egg cells could be that the ovaries have been removed or were damaged due to cancer treatment. Another situation could be that the woman does produce egg cells, but that they are not suitable for use. Once a woman passes the age of 43, her own genetic material is no longer used for any form of medically assisted fertilization. The chance of the treatment being successful would then be too small (0.5%) to justify it. In all the above cases, egg donation may be considered as a possible solution.
There are couples in which the fertility problem is a combination of factors affecting both the man and the woman. These people can possibly be helped by embryo donation.

      

The demand for donor sperm exceeds the supply. The CRG is therefore always looking for new donors. The greater and more varied the supply, the better the selection for the recipient couple. Our campaign 'Become a Sperman!' fits in with the efforts of the CRG to provide an answer to this issue. Visit www.spermadonor.be if you wish additional information.

There is also a permanent shortage in the supply of donor eggs and embryos. As a result of this, the CRG is actively seeking women and couples who are willing to help solve this problem. The campaign 'There is more in you' fits in with this search. Surf to www.eiceldonor.be if you want to learn more about this.
Initially couples who undergo an IVF treatment themselves are drawn on for the recruitment of potential egg donors. For example, women who produce more ripe eggs than they need for their own treatment can donate some of them immediately after the egg pick-up. This principle is known as 'egg sharing' or 'partial donation'. Couples who have a surplus of healthy embryos after successful treatment and have no need for them anymore (e.g. because their child wish is fulfilled) may also decide to donate them to (an)other couple(s).
A specific demographic group amongst these potential donor patients are those who have need for donor material themselves, in this case donor sperm. Through a system of 'solidarity donation' the CRG tries to motivate these women to act as egg donor, even partially.
However, the CRG is also always actively looking for 'voluntary' donors, i.e. women without any infertility problems of their own but who are willing to follow that part of the treatment required to allow the 'harvesting' of ripe eggs. In most cases, a volunteer is found by the couple who need treatment by egg donation, but the CRG also tries to encourage healthy young women from outside the IVF circuit to volunteer as egg donors.

   
Anonymous or not?
A general rule is that the donors are not told who the recipients will be, and vice-versa. To be sure the new legislation (2007) concerning assisted fertilization and everything related leaves open the option for known donation, but nevertheless implies in the formulation of the rules altogether a marked preference for anonymity. A specific situation in which this general rule may be waived is that of egg donation, i.e. if the recipient couple explicitly chooses their own egg donor or the donor offers to help a speci?c couple. This is known as 'named donation'.
However, in this situation there is another option: couples present a donor, the donor eggs go to the egg bank and the couples then receive other anonymous eggs from the egg bank. This allows couples to find a donor in their own family or circle of friends and still guarantee anonymity.

    
Strict selection and genetic screening
Obviously, not everyone is a suitable donor. All donors need to undergo rigorous medical screening before they are approved as donors. For example, a detailed family history is mapped out and analysed thoroughly to identify recurring characteristics. General factors such as life expectancy, physical health, mental stability, etc. are important here.
The preliminary testing procedures include determination of the donor's blood group and rhesus factor and the blood is also tested for the presence of infections such as hepatitis (jaundice) and HIV (the aids virus).
A phenotype profile is compiled of every sperm donor. This involves the donor's characteristics, i.e. hair and eye colour, skin colour, build, etc. When donor sperm is used, great care is always taken to ensure that the donor's blood group and as many physical characteristics as possible match those of the recipient couple.

Phenotypic selection of eggs is restricted to the egg bank. In case of embryo donation, that is not even possible unfortunately: the supply of donors is too limited. Furthermore, volunteer egg and embryo donors can only be recruited from among women up to the age of 35 years. Exceptions to this rule are only made in certain cases of named donation and with the recipient couple's explicit permission.

  

Double checks
All donated sperm, eggs and embryos are subjected to extensive medical screening too. Naturally, this includes genetic screening to avoid congenital disorders. Frozen sperm is also stored for six months or subjected to the NAT test. Six months is the period the body needs to produce antibodies against certain infections and against HIV in particular. The presence of antibodies therefore indicates the presence of the virus. By testing the sperm donor again after six months before using his frozen sperm, the CRG ensures that the frozen sample is not infected.
Most of the time however we use the so-called NAT test, which immediately detects the presence of the virus itself. We don't just do this to screen sperm. We also use it to screen eggs and embryos. This way the CRG ensures that all donor material is free from infection.

     

In Belgium, the law makes no distinction between couples who conceive naturally and couples who use donor sperm, eggs or embryos. The woman who gives birth to the child is always the legal mother. If the woman is married, her husband is automatically the legal father. If the woman is unmarried, her partner may voluntarily acknowledge the child and thus become the legal father.
That is why your embryos, sperm or eggs cannot be used to help other couples without your written consent. You will have to complete and sign a form before any treatment can begin. By doing so, you relinquish your sperm and eggs, they are no longer yours.
The woman or couple accepting the donor material as well are required to sign a form confirming that they accept it.

Click on consent forms to view the various documents.