Who is an Egg Donor?
An egg donor is a woman who provides eggs in vitro fertilization (IVF) or other assisted reproductive technologies to help individuals or couples struggling with infertility or genetic disorders conceive a child.
Egg Donation
Egg Donation Procedure
The egg donation procedure involves retrieving the donor’s eggs from the donor’s ovaries using ultrasound-guided aspiration.
After retrieval, the eggs are fertilized in a laboratory with the sperm from the intended father or a sperm donor.
The resulting embryos are then transferred into the uterus of the intended mother or a gestational carrier.
Usually, before beginning with the egg donation process, the donor undergoes medical, psychological, and genetic screening to ensure suitability as an egg donor.
When is Egg Donation Required?
Egg donation may be recommended for individuals or couples who are unable to conceive a child using their own eggs due to various reasons, such as:
Women who are older or have reduced fertility potential, making it challenging for them to conceive.
Couples aiming to avoid passing on genetic disorders to future generations.
Women who have undergone cancer treatment and experienced damage to their eggs.
What is the Success Rate of Egg Donation?
The success rate of egg donation depends on factors such as age, health, quality of eggs, and fertility treatment used. Usually, the success rate is higher for women over 35 years.
As per the research by ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine), the live birth rate per egg donation cycle is from 40% to 50% for women under 35 years and it decreases with an increase in age.
It is important to note that while egg donation can increase the chances of a successful pregnancy there are chances that multiple cycles of treatment may be needed to achieve a successful pregnancy.
Reasons of Egg Donation Failure
In some cases, the egg donation procedure fails, and the results are not always positive. A few reasons might be that the embryo failed to implant, miscarriage, and many more. Let’s explore a few more reasons in detail:
- Genetic causes – The sperm may contain genetic alteration that ultimately prevents the embryo from growing.
- Poor quality of embryos – If the sperm are of low quality, then there will be a direct effect on the embryo obtained.
- Immunological alterations – The functioning of the immune system must be proper for the embryo to develop and implant. The main thing that should be kept in mind is that it should be that the maternal body should be able to accept the embryo.
- Inadequate endometrial lining – The endometrial lining in the uterus must be thick and receptive to allow the embryo to implant successfully. If it doesn’t support it, then it may result in failure to transfer IVF.
Egg Donation Process
a) Selection of egg donor
The process begins only after ensuring that the donor’s eggs are healthy and suitable by conducting several tests, such as medical, genetic, and psychological screening. If the test is passed, then the donor will be asked to produce multiple eggs for retrieval.
b) Stimulation of the ovary
The process begins when the egg donor receives medication to stimulate her ovaries to produce multiple eggs for retrieval.
This process takes around 10 to 14 days and involves regular monitoring through ultrasound and blood tests.
c) Retrieval of eggs
Once the eggs have matured, the donor will undergo a minor surgical procedure named egg retrieval, in which the eggs are retrieved from the ovaries using ultrasound technology.
d) Fertilization
The eggs then reach the laboratory to fertilize with the sperm of the intended father through the procedure known as IVF and ICSI.
e) Transfer of the embryo
After 3 to 5 days of fertilization, the embryos are transferred into the intended mother’s uterus using a thin catheter. The timing and success of the embryo transfer depend on various factors, such as the age and health of the recipient, as well as the quality of the embryos.
f) Pregnancy test
Only after 2 weeks of the embryo transfer, a pregnancy test is conducted to check the results.
Scenario of Egg Donation in India
Initially, when the treatment was introduced, women were not ready to adapt to the process due to a lack of knowledge. However, after a few years, they were provided with proper education and knowledge, which resulted in the normalization of fertility treatments among Indian households. The cost of egg donation in India depends on several factors, such as the reputation and success rate of the IVF clinic. The procedure mentioned above includes costs at each stage, from consultation to a pregnancy test. In conclusion, the overall cost ranges from 3 to 7 lakhs.