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Oocyte (egg) donation involves the deliberate use of oocytes (eggs) provided by a donor for in vitro fertilization and subsequent embryo transfer to a matched and synchronized recipient.
Oocyte donors may be either unknown or known to the recipient. Currently, most oocyte donors in the United States are young women who are paid for their services, and donate their gametes anonymously.
The first successful pregnancy resulting from oocyte donation occurred in 1984. The patient suffered from premature ovarian failure. Today, the indications for oocyte donation have expanded to include not only premature ovarian failure (hypergonadotropic hypogonadism) but also perimenopausal women with diminished ovarian reserve and women of advanced reproductive age who may have already experienced natural menopause. Also, younger patients who have not benefited from repetitive attempts at in vitro fertilization (IVF) or who have performed poorly with respect to oocyte or embryo quality often consider egg donation. Finally, the method may be chosen in order to avoid the possibility of transmitting a significant genetic illness for which the female recipient is known to be a carrier.
The Oocyte Donation Cycle
In vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer requires the harvest of oocytes from the donor who has received ovarian stimulation to increase the number of mature eggs available for retrieval, followed by the insemination of the eggs in the laboratory. Twenty-four hours later, fertilization is documented. The early embryos are monitored for several days prior to their transfer into the uterus of the prepared recipient. Most often, the embryo transfer is performed non-surgically; using a small catheter placed transcervically into the upper uterine cavity.
An attempt at oocyte donation involves several important steps:
1. Evaluating the potential recipient
2. Selecting the donor
3. Screening the donor
4. Obtaining informed consent from both the recipient(s) and the donor
5. Synchronizing the donor and recipient
6. Prescribing hormone replacement for the recipient
7. Stimulating the ovaries of the donor
8. Retrieving the oocytes (harvesting the donor’s eggs)
9. Insemination of the oocytes
10. Transfer of the embryos
Anonymous egg donation also generally involves financial compensation to the donor.
At West Coast Fertility Centers, patients wishing to proceed with traditional egg donation go directly to an agency to choose the donor. Some local agencies are:
Creative Conception, Inc
The Donor Source
A Center for Coastal Conceptions
Cori’s Egg Donor & Surrogate Services
Giving Hope, LLC
Miracles Egg Donation, INC
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