Donor egg treatment
Who is donor egg treatment suitable for?
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Heterosexual couples
- Female couples
- Single parents
Donor egg treatment may be considered when own eggs cannot be used or are unlikely to result in pregnancy, for example because of age-related decline in ovarian reserve, poor egg quality or a genetic condition.
How does donor egg treatment work?
Treatment starts with a fertility-specialist appointment covering the process and the medical and legal aspects of donated-gamete treatment. This is followed by donor-conception counselling to discuss psychological and emotional aspects, after which a suitable donor is selected with a treatment coordinator.
Treatment can use fresh eggs fertilised on the day of donor retrieval or frozen eggs from an egg bank that are thawed and fertilised at an agreed time. Embryos are cultured in the laboratory and transfer is timed either to natural ovulation or after medication prepares the uterine lining.
What happens to the remaining embryos?
Suitable additional embryos are frozen for possible future use.
Can donor egg treatment be combined with other treatments?
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Donor sperm treatment. Read more about donor sperm treatment.