Oocyte donation
Oocyte donation is a very popular option for couples or individuals who have been unable or unsuccessful in their attempts to achieve parenthood with their own oocytes. This programme allows even for women that do not produce their own oocytes to become mothers and offers high success rates. It entails the use of oocytes donated by a young, healthy donor and their fertilisation with the use of the partner’s or a donor’s sperm under controlled, laboratory conditions. The resulting embryos are then transferred to the woman’s uterus.
Oocyte donation is recommended for women who:
- Are of advanced reproductive age (older than 35 years) who have had prior failed attempts with their own oocytes. As with the rest of our bodies, the ovaries age as well, leading to the production of a lower number of oocytes, which are of lower quality as well.
- Have very poor ovarian response or premature ovarian insufficiency, producing few to no eggs of their own, of low quality, regardless of age.
- Have chronic conditions, such as endometriosis, immunological disorders etc, which are known to impair ovarian function.
- Have received chemotherapy for cancer or have undergone bilateral oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries), without conducting fertility preservation a priori.
Greek legislation on the subject of oocyte donation outlines very specific guidelines on donor selection criteria and evaluation standards, in order to ensure that the resulting oocytes are of high quality and that they are collected ethically. At EmbryoClinic we apply even stricter selection criteria and even more thorough evaluation, in order to ensure top quality oocytes and the highest possible success rates. Therefore, the oocyte donors at EmbryoClinic:
- Are adults that are strictly younger than 30 years of age.
- Have undergone thorough physical, psychological and laboratory assessment.
- Have been informed about all aspects of the necessary medical procedures (ovarian stimulation, oocyte collection etc) with complete transparency and have consented to the treatment.
The oocyte donation programme entails a streamlined and flexible process, which may be adapted to your schedule very easily.
- The programme starts with the choice of your donor. Typically, this choice is between:
- Open donor programme
You choose the donor that you deem most suitable for you. The donor’s physical characteristics, medical details and additional data are available to you in order to make your choice. Due to the fact that this option was only recently legalised (2022 revision) and the more conservative nature of Greek society and culture, only a few donors are available for eponymous donation at a time. - Anonymous donor programme
This is the programme of choice for the majority of donors. In this programme you are not informed of the identity of the donor, however you are provided with some non-identifying information by the EmbryoClinic staff. For this programme, our Medical Team and Fertility Midwives conduct a matching process, opting for a donor whose physical characteristics best match your physical characteristics.
- Open donor programme
- Donor preparation.
The donor enters an ovarian stimulation programme, which is individualised and tailored to her characteristics and requirements. Our Clinic uses recombinant gonadotropins for the donors’ stimulation, which are the gold standard in ART and ensure proper titration of the effective dosage, thus achieving optimal oocyte quality and yield, in addition to donor safety. - Oocyte pickup.
Our Donors
At EmbryoClinic, all oocyte donors undergo thorough assessment of all aspects of their health. Namely:
Patient History
Meticulous recording of the donor’s personal medical history, in addition to their family history.
A questionnaire provided by the Greek National Authority of Assisted Reproduction is distributed to guide genetic investigations. Should clinical suspicions arise, genetic counselling is arranged with a geneticist to decide the suitability of the donor.
Physical examination
This includes a general health assessment, gynaecological examination and vaginal smear analysis for infections. Additionally, they undergo routine pre-operative assessment prior to oocyte pick-up.
General laboratory
assessment with full blood count, blood biochemistry and coagulation assessment.
Viral testing
Blood borne viral testing which includes Hepatitis B, C, HIV I and II and venereal disease testing (VDRL).
Anaemia testing
Testing for alpha and beta thalassaemia, in addition to sickle cell anaemia.
Karyotype
Karyotype analysis to test for chromosomal abnormalities (Fragile X syndrome).
Genetics
Genetic testing for Cystic Fibrosis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMN1 gene), nonsyndromic hearing loss (connexin 26, GJB2 gene).
Psychological examination
Psychological assessment by a mental health professional.
Fresh Oocyte Programme
Frozen Oocyte Programme
Choose your Programme
Following oocyte pickup, there are two options available, based on your schedule, the number of visits to the clinic you wish to make and whether fresh or frozen oocytes will be used for fertilisation.