Egg Donation

Egg donation is the process whereby a woman or a couple uses donated eggs, or oocytes, in a fertility treatment. This is often essential when a woman may struggle to conceive naturally, or may be infertile.
What is Egg Donation? Egg Donation Process
Consulta de ovodonación

What is egg donation?

When is egg donation recommended?

The use of donor eggs may be recommended for:

  • Women of advanced maternal age
  • Women who have experienced ovarian failure
  • Women under the age of 45 who have experienced early menopause
  • Women who cannot use their own oocytes due to poor quality
  • Women who cannot use their own oocytes due to hereditary diseases
  • Women whose ovaries cannot produce oocytes after ovarian surgery
  • Women who have experienced repeated unsuccessful IVF treatments
  • Women who have experienced recurrent miscarriage
What are the success rates?

What are the success rates?

RESULTS

Over the last 30 years, IVI has helped more than 250,000 dreams come true.

CARE

97% of our patients recommend IVI. We’re with you at every stage of your treatment, providing support and care.

TECHNOLOGY

IVI has a worldwide reputation for innovative research and has developed and patented pioneering techniques and technologies.

EXPERTISE

IVI is one of the largest fertility treatment providers in the world, with more than 75 clinics in 9 countries.

 
 
 

What egg donation programmes are available at IVI?

There are three different types of egg donation treatments offered by IVI London. Our specialists can advise which option may be best for you based on your specific circumstances.

There are specific criteria that must be met in order to become a donor. These apply across all egg donation programs. Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 35, fit and healthy, and have no history in the family of inherited diseases or genetic disorders. In the UK, the criteria for becoming a donor is regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

Egg donation programmes


Before using donated eggs in a fertility treatment, it is important to understand the process of donation and its legal implications.

In the UK, donation is always non-anonymous. This means that any donor-conceived person has the legal right at the age of 18 to request information about their donor. The donor-conceived person has no legal claims or rights in relation to their donor. Similarly, there is no legal implication for the donor towards any children born as a result of their donated egg or embryo.

At the time of donation, only non-identifying information will be available to the recipient of any donated eggs (or embryos), such as height, eye color, hair color, country of birth and educational background. Most of our patients want to know as much as possible about their donor, so we try to make sure our donor profiles are as personal as possible, including how the donor describes themselves, how their friends see them, and what hobbies they have.

Many of our donors also write a personal message for any children born from their donation, which can also be read by the parents.

At IVI London, counselling is an essential part of egg donation to ensure that both parties understand the implications of the process.


Known egg donation is different to non-anonymous, or altruistic, egg donation. Known egg donation is a process in which a recipient couple use oocytes in a fertility treatment which have been voluntarily donated from someone they know.

This could be a friend, a relative or anyone who has agreed to donate their oocytes knowingly. Known egg donation is very common and many recipient couples find comfort in knowing their donor is someone close to them. In order to become a donor, known donors must meet the same criteria as non-anonymous donors.

Like altruistic donation, counseling will be offered to both the known donor and the recipient couple to ensure that they understand the implications of the process.


In Spain, egg donation must be completely anonymous. This process is regulated by Law 14/2006 which states anonymity is compulsory and there can be no links or contact between donor and the recipient couples. Recipient couples can only know very basic non-identifying information about the donor, such as complexion, height and eye colour. Donor-conceived individuals are prohibited from finding out any information about their donor.

Like in the UK, donors in Spain must be between the ages of 18 and 35, be healthy and have no family history of genetic diseases. In addition, the legal framework in Spain guarantees that all donations are voluntary and altruistic, avoiding any commercial motivation.

Many couples in the UK use egg donation programs overseas because there is greater availability of donor eggs, thus reducing waiting times if their treatment is time-sensitive.

To learn more about donation in Spain and the donor allocation process, you can visit our international website.

Procedure

Donor eggs can only be used in an IVF treatment. It is not possible to use donor eggs in an IUI treatment. This is different to donor sperm, which can be used in an IVF or IUI treatment.

ProcedureProcedure

First consultation

During your first appointment, your consultant will discuss your medical history and advise which fertility treatments will be most effective given your specific circumstances. If you have had fertility treatment in the past, the results will be reviewed with your consultant. In order to recommend the most effective treatment, a gynaecological examination will be performed as well as an pelvic ultrasound scan.  If you’re part of a heterosexual couple, a semen analysis will be performed if required. If egg donation is recommended, your consultant will discuss the different treatment options as well as donor anonymity and non-anonymity.

Second visit

Second visit

Donor matching

Probeta para donación de ovocitos
Stimulation treatment

Stimulation treatment

Preparation of the semen

Preparation of the semen
Fertilisation and embryo culture

Fertilisation and embryo culture

Embryo transfer

Embryo transfer
Pregnancy test

Pregnancy test

Request your first appointment

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