What Is Egg Donation?

Egg donation is a special process whereby a female patient uses another woman’s eggs to become pregnant. There are times when egg donation is offered as an option to our patients. These include when a female patient has undergone radiotherapy or chemotherapy treatment, and also when the woman’s eggs are not able to produce a baby.

Additionally, egg donation offers an alternative option to women who are carriers of genetic disorders and do not want to pass the condition to their baby.

Donated eggs can be fertilised using a partner’s sperm or a donor if necessary.

Find out more about becoming an egg recipient or becoming an egg donor.

Become An Egg Recipient

Who Needs Egg Donation?

Sometimes women who are unable to conceive due to a condition called premature ovarian failure (POF) will use egg donation. POF is when the ovaries have stopped working before the age of 40. Some women with POF still have occasional periods but, unfortunately, they cannot conceive.

Methods Of Egg Donation

The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy Egg Donation Programme: The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy has the very best resources for those who require donor eggs to become pregnant. We are one of the few clinics to offer high quality donor eggs right here in London, with minimal wait times and good success rates.

Patients who wish to use international donors will need to travel there for embryo implantation, however The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy can help facilitate this process.

We take care to try to match the physical features of the recipient and the donor. All egg donors are younger than 35, and are usually in their twenties or early thirties. Additionally, they have a clean bill of health and fertility.

We try to match height, weight, skin colour, hair colour, eye colour and ethnic background as close as possible. You may request certain criteria but must bear in mind that being overly prescriptive can result in longer waiting times for matches.

Fresh Egg Donation: With fresh-egg donation, timing is key. The release of eggs in the donor has to correspond with the fertility cycles of the donor. For this to occur, the donor needs to have her ovaries stimulated while the recipient is using hormone tablets or patches to build up the lining of her womb for egg implantation. Once healthy eggs are taken from the donor and fertilised with sperm they are placed in the recipient’s womb within a five-day period.

Frozen Egg Donation: Because of the difficulty in recruiting a donor at just the right time, frozen eggs are sometimes implanted instead of fresh ones. The egg-freezing process involves a quick cooling method known as vitrification.

Once frozen, the eggs are stored at extremely low temperatures in liquid nitrogen. The statutory storage period for eggs as defined by the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is up to 10 years.

Using a donor’s frozen eggs is a viable method which has shown proven results over the years – but it is important to bear in mind that not all the eggs will survive the freezing process.

When the recipient is ready, the eggs are thawed and fertilised. The embryos are usually implanted into the womb five days later.

At A Glance

• The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy offers both egg donation cycles with fresh donor eggs and egg donation cycles with frozen donor eggs.
• A cycle with fresh donor eggs is likely to give you more eggs. However, a cycles with frozen donor eggs can be started immediately and allows you to choose from a number of donors.
• If you are considering doing an IVF cycle with donor eggs, please book in an initial consultation by calling us on 020 7224 1880.

Become An Egg Donor

By generously donating your eggs, you can help other women who cannot get pregnant with their own eggs, experience the joy of parenthood. Below, you’ll find the information you need to help you decide if it’s right for you.

Here at The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy we have our own egg donation programme and egg bank that allows us to match eggs with their perfect recipient.

If you choose to donate your eggs, you’ll get free:

• Sexual health check/screenings
• Pelvic ultrasound
• Ovarian reserve and AMH level to assess your current level of fertility 
• Chromosomes and hereditary screenings
• Your donation can make someone else’s dream of becoming parents come true
• There’s no payment within the UK for donating eggs, but the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) allows an altruistic egg donor to receive up to £750 compensation (updated March 2022). Please see HFEA for more information.
• Ongoing support from our team of skilled doctors and nurses throughout the process.

Who Might Donor Eggs Go To?

A number of women are unable to have children with their own eggs. There are many reasons for this – from damage to the ovaries caused by surgery/chemotherapy/radiotherapy to genetic premature ovarian failure or advanced maternal age. Most women/couples who need egg donation have been struggling with infertility for a number of years. Often they go through IVF cycles with their own eggs but are unsuccessful due to low egg number and/or poor egg quality. Your donation can make their dream of becoming parents a reality!

Please note that in the UK, the HFEA keeps records of all egg donations. If the child wishes to do so, they can contact this governing body for the name of their egg donor after their 18th birthday.

Could You Help Someone’s Dream Come True?

We understand that this is a big decision. If you are thinking about becoming an egg donor, please request our detailed “Information for Prospective Egg Donors” brochure at info@fertility-academy.co.uk