IVF with donor embryos assists women whose germ cells are insufficient or of poor quality for fertilization. As a result, fresh donor eggs are recommended if:
- There is a high possibility of having a child with a genetic pathology.
- It is not possible to use a woman’s own eggs in the IVF program.
- IVF failed repeatedly, resulting in embryos of poor quality and no pregnancy after transfer to the uterine cavity.
Benefits of IVF with Egg Donor
The main advantage of in vitro fertilization is that it allows a woman who no longer has good eggs to have her own child. As in standard conception, the baby carries the spouse’s genetic material.
IVF protocols with a donor egg also allow you to choose the “desired” characteristics of the unborn child. Intended parents can receive information not only about the results of the health check for the donor but also about external characteristics, race and nationality.
Where do fresh donor eggs come from and how is a female donor checked?
Fresh donor eggs are obtained from a donor woman after she provides informed consent and undergoes all stages of an extensive examination.
There are two types of donations:
- Anonymous – the mother who will use the oocytes will have no idea who they came from;
- Non-anonymous – a woman who will undergo an IVF cycle knows who the donor is and what characteristics she possesses in advance.
The donor eggs come from women who:
- Fall into the category of 18-35 years;
- Have good physical and mental health;
- Underwent medical genetic counseling to exclude hereditary pathologies and other conditions with a genetic predisposition.
Egg donors can not be women with the following conditions:
- Laboratory confirmed positive HIV status;
- Increased risk of infection with the immunodeficiency virus and other infections with the sexual transmission;
- Carriage of pathological chromosomes;
- The birth of children with congenital diseases;
- Habitual (more than 2 times in a row) pregnancy loss;
- Oncological processes in the present or past;
- Diseases of the endocrine glands.
Women who plan to become potential donors undergo the same examination as patients in the standard IVF procedure. In addition, the diagnostic program must include:
- Single karyotyping – assessment of the chromosome set;
- Single genetic consultation;
- Official confirmation from the psycho-neurological and neurological center that the patient is not registered with the dispensary (the certificate is valid for 1 year);
- Comprehensive HIV tests (valid for 3 months);
- Complex tests for hepatitis B and C.
Preparation for IVF with a donor egg
Regardless of how IVF will take place with a donor egg (fresh or frozen), both spouses are examined.
Examination of a woman
A woman undergoes a standard examination, which includes:
- General clinical tests of blood, urine, and vaginal discharge
- Testing for HIV, hepatitis B and C;
- Hormonal tests;
- Ultrasound of the pelvic organs;
- X-ray examination of the lungs;
- Electrocardiography, etc.
Examination of a man
The male diagnostic program usually includes the following examinations:
- Semen analysis;
- Microscopic analysis of discharge from the urethra;
- Tests for infections with sexual transmission;
- Electrocardiography;
- Fluorography.
The list of examinations can be expanded, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient.
Embryo donation stages using fresh donor eggs
When using fresh eggs, the couple usually knows the donor (relative or close friend).
When the program is carried out using fresh donor oocytes, it includes the following steps:
- Synchronization of the menstrual cycles of the patient and the egg donor;
- Stimulation of donor ovulation with the help of hormonal drugs;
- Follicle puncture;
- Embryological stage (fertilization of donor oocytes with the spouse’s sperm and cultivation of the resulting embryos in an incubator for several days);
- Transfer of 1 or 2 embryos into the uterine cavity of the patient.
How to behave after the transfer
After IVF with a donor egg, you should follow simple rules:
- Within 2 weeks to exclude sexual contacts (perhaps, the period of sexual rest in the future will need to be extended);
- After the transfer, avoid excessive physical activity;
- Eat a balanced diet, excluding both hunger and overeating;
- Refrain from taking a bath, sunbathing and visiting saunas, baths;
- Take any medications and dietary supplements only after consulting a doctor.
Conclusion
IVF with fresh donor oocytes allows you to give birth and bear a baby on your own.
Half of the chromosome set of the child will consist of the genetic material of the spouse, which will determine the similarity. If the eggs of a blood relative of the woman are used, the child will also inherit the resemblance to the mother.
Artificial insemination with donor eggs is a happy motherhood for couples with depleted or altered ovarian reserve.
