Question 1

What is an IVF with donor egg treatment?​

Accepted Answer

Egg donation is a form of in-vitro fertilisation in which the patient uses donated oocytes (donor eggs) – from egg donors – to conceive. Retrieved eggs from the donor are fertilised with sperm, usually from the patient’s partner. Once cultivated and transferred, embryos may implant themselves in the patient’s uterus, hopefully leading to a successful pregnancy. The donation process can either be anonymous or non-anonymous.

The prospect of using an egg donor can feel overwhelming and daunting, often leaving patients full of questions and concerns. It is not an easy choice to make; the emotional mourning of fertility and the practical decisions on finding a donor and clinic are a lot to process. As intimidating as it may appear, however, for many women egg donation provides the best chances for a successful pregnancy.

Question 2

When might donor eggs treatment cycle be appropriate – indications?

Accepted Answer

For many infertile women, in vitro treatment with donor eggs is the only chance for maternity. The procedure may be adopted if:

Patient does not have or can not produce oocytes of her own – e.g. due to damaged or missing ovaries;
Patient’s ovaries malfunction prematurely;
Patient’s oocytes are of insufficient quality;
Patient has been diagnosed with genetic issues which may be reason of previous failure
Patient has undergone multiple IVF programs – without success;
Patient – women is over 40 years old.
The basic two indicators for donor egg treatment cycle are the medical history and the age of the recipient. However, some patients choose the donor egg IVF treatment because of a higher pregnancy rate. Usually, patients going through egg donor programs may expect a better chance to become parents than patients using their own eggs – depending on the women’s age. The reason is “quality eggs” which are received from young, healthy egg donors.

Question 3

What are the types of egg donor programs?

Accepted Answer

IVF programs with fresh donor eggs require the cycles of both the donor and recipient to be synchronized therefore the process requires planning and can be fairly rigid in order for synchronization to happen. As no invasive procedures are involved here – such programmes are often highly efficient (the success rate is about 50-70%).
IVF programs with frozen donor eggs allows more flexibility when it comes to planning. However, this type of programme has certain limitations as well. Freezing and thawing oocytes may lower their quality which in turn can slightly reduce the success rate of infertility treatments by 5 to 10%. Yet in most cases, infertility clinics have extensive experience and proper equipment and are capable of neutralizing this issue successfully.
Double donation programs – the sperm from a bank is used instead of your partner, and donor eggs from young women. In that case, you may expect a higher number of embryos but the “genetic link” between child and parents will be missing as both partner and women gametes come from donors.
At the EggDonationFriends IVF clinics listing pages you will find out which overseas infertility centers performs which type(s) of programme, to what extent effectively, and at what cost.

Question 4

What are the reasons to go for donor eggs IVF abroad?

Accepted Answer

Undergoing an IVF treatment with donor eggs abroad has many advantages. There are an increasing number of fertility clinics in in numerous countries offering egg donation programmes and professional medical care to a very high standard. International couples, who decide to take a ‘pregnancy trip’ due to various reasons, are usually offered:

Easier access to certain services (e.g. no waiting lists, etc.);
High-quality infertility treatments at lower costs than in their home country;
Fertility clinics’ experience in the field of egg donation programs;
IVF centres’ and fertility specialists’ internationally acclaimed reputation;
The attractive geographic location of fertility centres, so treatment can be combined with some time off in a holiday hot spot
The success rate of infertility treatment is higher than in national centres.

Question 5

What is the time-frame of donor egg IVF abroad?

Accepted Answer

Oocyte recipients should prepare themselves for IVF treatment with donor eggs by undergoing necessary medical examination and testing. If no contraindications occur the patient may begin an egg donor programme which is likely to consist of the following stages:

Initial appointment with a fertility specialist;
Donor selection (parent-recipients should be assisted by a physician or embryologist);
Laboratory procedures (man deposits sperm to be used for donor’s eggs fertilization first – then embryos are cultured in the IVF lab);
A patient and embryo transfer preparation (woman takes medicines which make her uterus ready for taking the embryos; the embryo transfer procedure may require a short stay in a fertility centre).
If you are not sure whether you need to undergo an egg donor programme, please consult an infertility specialist.

Question 6

Donor eggs IVF abroad – what’s important?

Accepted Answer

Before you make a final decision concerning your treatment abroad, think which of the above factors matter for you the most and ask for details in more than one fertility centre. What else is good to know?

Legal regulations in the country of your choice – e.g. limitations on donating and receiving gametes, requirements to be met by donors, donorship anonymity regulations, procedures allowed within IVF programmes, limitation on the number of children born thanks to a single donor, etc. Age limit for patients, the maximum number of embryos to transfer within an IVF cycle. 
Plan your travel and stay – find out the costs of travel, transfers and accommodation, check out where to seek help while your stay in a country, how to find your way around town, what places to see, etc.
Local healthcare conditions and standards – Please note that infertility treatment (including egg donation programmes) may lead to medical complications! As rare as they may be – it is highly advisable to know what aid you can count on in local hospitals. You may need to take specific medical documentation with you and/or purchase additional medical insurance prior to departure!
The most trustworthy, prestigious and credible IVF centres in a country – who are the best fertility clinics, who are the most reliable, who offers the most affordable treatments
Find out what other patients (past or present) have to say: Simply ask the community!

Question 7

How to choose a clinic for donor eggs IVF abroad?

Accepted Answer

Choosing a fertility centre to undergo infertility treatment is an important step! Before you take it, do consider a few things. Prior to selecting, please check:

Fertility centre’s overall experience in egg donor programme;
Fertility specialists’ qualifications and experience as well as the technological equipment used by the clinic;
Whether the IVF clinic has its own egg bank or uses an external supplier;
The waiting list for women looking for egg donors
How are egg donors evaluated/qualified (medical examination and verification);
What sort of information regarding egg donors is available to international patients;
IVF clinic’s full offer, medical procedures availability and pricing options – treatment costs;
Languages that are spoken by the clinic’s personnel;
The success rates of egg donation programmes that are achieved by the fertility clinic.
The maximum age of a woman that can be qualified for the egg donor programme
Treatment plan – is it possible to discuss it before visiting the centre
On-line and on-site counselling options with psychologist, doctor, nurse, midwife
When contacting an IVF clinic of fertility konsultant for the first time it is good to ask what the entire treatment process entails; how many visits will you have to make during your treatment and how long will each step last, what medical procedures are in use there and what assistance can you expect from the clinic (e.g. airport transfers, hotel booking, etc.).

IVF Country	IVF age limit	IVF own eggs cost – average	IVF donor eggs cost – average	Egg donors availability	IVF treatment for single woman
Egg Donation and IVF Spain	50 some clinics may accept older patients based on individual circumstances	€4,100 – €7,100	€5,900-11,000	Caucasian, Latino, African / Black, Arab, Indian	Allowed
Egg Donation and IVF Portugal	49 (+364 days)	€4,000 – €6,800	€6,000-8,000	Caucasian, Scandinavian, Hispanic, Asian, African	Allowed
Egg Donation and IVF Czech Republic	48 (+365 days)	€2,700 – €5,700	€4,500-8,000	Caucasian, Scandinavian	Not allowed
Egg Donation and IVF Greece	54 some clinics may accept older patients based on individual circumstances	€3,200 – €6,200	€5,000-8,000	Caucasian, Latino, Indian, Arab	Allowed
Egg Donation and IVF North Cyprus	45 – 55 50-55 years if patients meet certain criteria and have undergone specific tests	€2,700 – €5,700	€4,500-6,000	Caucasian, African / Black, Arab	Allowed
Egg Donation and IVF Ukraine	No limit not specified by legislation, decided by each clinic individually	€2,200 – €5,200	€4,000-7,000	Caucasian, Asian	Allowed
Egg Donation and IVF Russia	51 clinics may treat older woman at their own risk	€2,000 – €5,000	€3,800-7,000	Caucasian, Scandinavian, Asian	Allowed
Egg Donation and IVF Latvia	No limit not specified by legislation, decided by each clinic individually	€3,200 – €6,200	€5,000-8,000	Caucasian, Scandinavian	Allowed

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