Many people who struggle with infertility find egg or sperm donation,surrogacy appealing options to grow their family. Although not quite the path you thought you would travel, these options can have high success rates and patients who choose them report feeling very happy that they did.
Women who use fresh embryos created by donor eggs have over a 70 percent chance of getting pregnant. Whether our patients choose this path because of early menopause, diminished ovarian reserve or multiple failed In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycles, we are committed to guiding them through the process and being there for them every step of the way.
-
Egg+Sperm Donation
Egg Donation can be considered in women with ovarian failure or in cases of repeated IVF/ICSI failure due to poor quality eggs.
- Egg donation involves stimulating the donor’s ovaries to produce a number of eggs which are retrieved and then fertilised by your partner’s sperm. The embryos that are created can be transferred into your womb so you can conceive and deliver the baby.
- Egg Donation may be considered for women with ovarian failure or in cases of repeated IVF/ICSIfailure due to poor quality eggs.
Discovering that donor eggs or sperm is your best chance of having a baby can be hard to hear and often people respond quite emotionally. A biological connection is very important to many people, and realizing that is not possible can be difficult. Although everyone responds differently, the majority of our patients who use donor eggs or sperm tell us that the experience of pregnancy creates an amazing intimacy and connection with the baby, every flutter and kick strengthens your bond. You will experience the process of giving birth, be the first to hold your baby and then share a home and life with the child you created.
Sperm Donation
Donated sperm (sperm not from your partner) can be used in many types of fertility treatment. The donated sperm is used to fertilise an egg either inside the woman’s body (IUI) or outside the body (IVF).
Sperm donation can be considered in the following circumstances:
- single women who wish to conceive without a partner
- female same-sex couples
- in cases of azoospermia (lack of sperm in the ejaculate)
- for avoidance of genetic diseases which may be passed on from the male partner
- after recurrent ICSI treatment failures with poor quality sperm
The Process
Donated eggs are used only with IVF cycles. After egg retrieval — the initial step of the IVF process — the donor’s eggs are fertilized with the partner’s sperm or donor sperm. The resulting embryo(s), when ready, are transferred to your uterus. Your cycle will have been timed, via medication, so your uterus is prepared to receive the embryo(s).
Generally, egg and sperm donors are between 21 and 30 years old. You may ask someone you know to donate, or, more commonly, patients choose a donor from an anonymous database. All donors must participate in extensive medical and psychological screening.
Have questions about IVF using a donor?
Get in touch with us to discuss any questions or to book an appointment.