Egg Donation
 Would you like to become an egg cell donor? Contact the consultation department at the CRG: +32 2 477 66 99 |
Egg donation offers the only chance of conception for a woman who produces too few or no eggs, or eggs that are unsuitable for genetic reasons. Sperm supplied by her partner (the 'recipient man') are injected directly into the eggs donated by another woman to inseminate them (a technique known as ICSI).
If this in vitro fertilization produces a number of embryos, one or two will be transferred to the woman's womb, where they can implant and grow to full term.
The CRG uses two methods of egg donation: anonymous donation and named donation. Named donation is almost always done with fresh eggs. Anonymous egg donation can be subdivided into three types that always go through the egg bank: you can be an anonymous voluntary donor, you can be undergoing fertility treatment yourself and wish to donate some of your own eggs or you can be presented as a donor by an infertile couple in your family or circle of friends who doesn't want a named donation. The couple will immediately receive anonymous eggs from the egg bank in exchange for the provided (named) donor eggs.
Recruitment
We have reviewed the general conditions to which donors must conform previously. One of these is that the maximum age for egg donors is 35. Exceptions to this rule are only made in certain cases of named donation and with the recipient couple's explicit permission. If egg donation and IVF treatment result in a pregnancy, the recipient couple are advised to have a prenatal diagnosis.
Another general principle is that donation is preferably anonymous. Nevertheless, if the couple and the donor in question explicitly request that the donated eggs be used for the couple's treatment, we will always give this request serious consideration.
Whatever may be the recruitment of egg cell donors is a lot less obvious than that of sperm donors. The treatment takes time and involves some physical discomfort. In other words, egg donation requires substantial motivation and commitment on the part of the donor.
As a result the number of voluntary anonymous donors – those who undergo the treatment solely to donate their eggs to a couple unknown to them– is rather limited. This is one of the reasons why the CRG prefers to recruit women who already have children or are having treatment. They are not only ideally placed to understand the longing for a child, their body also has 'experience' with the physical effects of hormonal changes.
Motivation and risks
What exactly is expected of an egg donor?
- First of all, she needs to be able to make time available for the various examinations and visits to the hospital. The necessary and frequent blood samples and ultrasound scans mean she will have to remain available constantly over the course of treatment.
- The donor must also be prepared to undergo hormonal treatment in order to stimulate the ovaries to produce several ripe eggs. The entire treatment takes about two weeks and you may experience a slightly distended abdomen during the final days before egg retrieval.Cysts may also form in some cases, although this is a harmless phenomenon. Cysts only need to be removed in a small medical procedure guided by ultrasound scan (see Medical practice) if they start producing hormones themselves.
- However any egg cell donation requires a churgical procedure to collect the eggs. This is only a minor procedure, almost always carried out under local anaesthetic, but it is an operation. Although all necessary medical precautions are taken, the chance of an infection cannot be entirely excluded. Any such infection carries a risk of infertility for the donor, which is all the more delicate in view of the fact that young women are preferred for egg donation.
Because of all these factors, the CRG pays great attention to medical counselling of egg donors. As a result of the severe shortage of donor eggs, we apply our greatest professional skills because we expect a high degree of commitment and motivation from egg donors. Every measure is taken to reduce the risk of infection to the smallest possible degree. |
- Finally, and strange as this may seem, the greatest 'risk' that an egg donor runs is of becoming pregnant herself during treatment! If she had no plans in this sense, this can be a severe problem.
Egg donors are therefore expected to refrain from unprotected sexual relations for a significant period of time. Total abstention from all sexual activity at the end of the stimulation cycle is necessary. She must also avoid intercourse for several days after egg collection (pick-up) unless protected by a condom to avoid fertilization of any remaining ripe eggs.