Egg Donor
Donor Egg
For some people, donor eggs are their only option for starting a family. This may be because of:
- premature ovarian failure (menopause)
- unexplained and repeated miscarriage
- advanced maternal age
- genetic issues
- infertility after treatment for cancer or other serious illness
- unsuccessful IVF treatment cycles due to poor egg quality or quantity
The two primary sources of donor eggs are:
- A known donor - this may be a friend or family member who wishes to donate their eggs to you on an altruistic basis for your fertility care
- A de-identified donor - via an Egg bank.
In NSW, all patients wishing to use donor eggs must have counselling before treatment, as per the NSW Reproductive Act. This can help you to make informed decisions about your care with full confidence. You will be referred to an accredited counsellor who is a member of the Australia and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors’ Association (ANZICA).
About the Egg Donor Process
All egg donors are screened for significant personal history, family medical history and genetic disorders.
Mandatory testing includes:
- Infection screen (including HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis, Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea),
- Karyotype and Genetic Carrier Screening
- Pelvic ultrasound
Each donor completes a detailed questionnaire including if they have children already, interests, occupation, and the highest level of education achieved.
The donor must also undergo mandatory counselling before donating eggs. This is aimed at helping the donors understand the implications of being a donor.
The NSW Reproductive Act is strictly followed. The donor must understand that she can be contacted by any offspring created using her eggs when the offspring turns 18 years. All donor births are recorded in a Donor Registry.
The (de-identified) donor cannot contact the offspring or the parent(s) (donor egg recipient(s)). Likewise, the donor egg recipient cannot contact the egg donor.
Once a potential egg donor is given clearance to proceed as a donor, they will undergo ovarian stimulation with hormone injections and a day surgery procedure for egg collection. Their eggs are then frozen before being used for treatment by the intended donor recipient.
The process for the use of the donor eggs involves:
- fertilising the eggs with either your partner’s sperm or donor sperm.
- ICSI is used to fertilise eggs. The resulting embryos are then transferred to your uterus at the correct time in the menstrual cycle.
- Medications, including oestrogen and progesterone, may be given to prepare the lining of the uterus for embryo transfer.
The IVFAustralia Donor Support team are available to answer all your questions. They can assist you in choosing the right donor for you. You can contact them on 1800 111 483.