IVF treatment using donor eggs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Couples undergoing IVF with donor eggs<\/a> have often lived through several failed fertility treatments. Sometimes a would-be mother has been told that her egg quality is too poor for success. Then the best hope of getting pregnant is to work with an egg donor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After costly rounds of infertility treatment, no baby and a lot of disappointment \u2013 couples oftentimes just want something that works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The IVF procedure with donor eggs works for many. Using an egg donor gives patients a 1-in-3 birth rate per embryo transferred. That\u2019s for all age groups up to 50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Around 6% of IVF cycles in the UK are now linked to procedures using donor eggs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you know you want to try IVF with donor eggs the next big step is finding a donor. Younger eggs generally have a greater chance of making healthy babies. So the age limit to donate is 18 to 35. Exceptions are sometimes made for known donors \u2013 such as a sister or friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All egg donors are screened. They have blood tests and genetic checks and must provide details of their family medical history. Candidates for egg donors should meet the following criteria:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the UK it is illegal to pay egg donors. Eggs may only be given altruistically \u2013 purely for the good of another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a survey carried out for the charity Fertility Network UK<\/a> 40% of patients travelling abroad for fertility treatment said that better access to egg donors was a key reason for their decision. The overriding motivator was cost \u2013 80% said that was a factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The UK\u2019s tight rules around egg donation mean that it can take longer to find a good match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One major issue in the UK is the shortage of ethnic minority donors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr Edmond Edi-Osagie specialises in reproductive medicine and told the BBC<\/a> \u201cAny time I see an Afro-Caribbean woman over the age of 35 who walks through my clinic, the first thing I think about is, \u2018Are they going to need donor eggs?\u2019 My heart really sinks, because I know that it\u2019s going to be a really difficult battle if they are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understandably parents often do want a donor of the same ethnicity so their child feels part of the same family, community, and culture. Sadly for some groups that is more difficult to find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asian patients make up around 14% of IVF cases. Asian donors make up just 4% of all eggs given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finding the perfect match so much depends on where patients are and what type of donor they are looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some places, there are long waiting lists. IVF clinics frequently report waiting times of up to a year. Up to 2 years in parts of Scotland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some couples have a long list of requirements for their donor. But many people just want their child to look a bit like them. IVF clinics vary in how closely they match donors and recipients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more precise patients want their match to be the harder it is to find that perfect person. The best advice is to compromise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since 2005 UK donors have had to provide the donor’s name, address, and other personal information. Children turning 18 this year have the legal right to access all of these details and find out the identity of their donor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The egg donor takes fertility drugs and undergoes scans and egg collection. The eggs are checked for suitability and either fertilised or frozen and stored. Then everyone waits and hopes for healthy embryos to form. Once an embryo is ready \u2013 ideally at the blastocyst stage \u2013 it is transferred to the intended parent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Costs of the procedure vary depending on whether you are using fresh or frozen donor eggs and partner or donor sperm. One option is to use an egg bank and then choose your preferred clinic for treatment. Some patients say they have greater control over donor characteristics this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the UK packages for a fresh cycle using an egg donor start at around \u00a39,000. For a frozen egg cycle you are looking at \u00a37,000 upwards. London clinics can be more expensive \u2013 costing around 10 to 15% more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most packages do not include recipient medication in the price. The cost varies because drugs are specifically tailored to the individual. Ask your clinic to know the top end of what you might have to pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sit down and read through what is included. Some clinics list IVF with egg donation as a package. Others itemise each part of the procedure on their price list.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFinding an egg donor for IVF procedure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Serious shortage of ethnic minority donors in the UK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How long does it take to find an egg donor in the UK?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Known or unknown egg donor for IVF?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
IVF with donor eggs in the UK \u2013 how it works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Stages ofIVF procedure with donor eggs <\/td> Description <\/td><\/tr> Initial consultation<\/td> an initial consultation at a fertility clinic<\/td><\/tr> Donor matching<\/td> A personalised matching process based on different criteria such as physical characteristics, values, and interests, and more <\/td><\/tr> Egg donor\u2019s ovarian stimulation <\/td> 8-14 day ovarian stimulation process controlled by medical experts <\/td><\/tr> Egg retrieval<\/td> Collection of donor eggs. A donor is under under mild sedation or anaesthesia<\/td><\/tr> Fertilisation and embryo transfer<\/td> The eggs eggs fertilised with sperm, cultured in the laboratory for several days, and transferred into the recipient’s uterus<\/td><\/tr> Pregnancy test<\/td> A test is performed (around 10-14 days after the transfer) <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n The cost of IVF with donor eggs in the UK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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