Egg Donor - Pros and Cons

Who Needs An Egg Donor?

Who Can Become An Egg Donor?

At Ovoria Egg Donor Bank, our aim is to provide eggs of the highest quality to our patients and partners. Therefore, all women who wish to become donors must meet the following criteria; 

• Strict age requirement: Accepts women between 18 and 32 years of age.
• Exceptional health: Egg donors must have excellent physical and mental health.
• Rigorous screening: Complete comprehensive screening and rescreening procedures, and meet its requirements. 
• Habit-free lifestyle: Excludes donors with detrimental habits or addictions.
• Proven fertility: Donors must have a history of at least one successful pregnancy. 
• Genetic screening: Donors with a history of hereditary diseases or negative phenotypic signs are excluded.

Pros of Being Egg Donor

Helping Others by Donating Eggs

Unfortunately, some individuals and couples have problems with conceiving a child on their own. People struggling with infertility issues can turn to the egg donation process for help. Using IVF procedure with the donor eggs brings them the opportunity to realise their dream. At Ovoria, donors have to meet the requirement of proven fertility, meaning that the woman must have a history of at least one successful pregnancy. By becoming an egg donor, you are helping those less fortunate to experience the joy of parenthood. 

Receiving a Free Health Screening

As previously mentioned, in order to take part in the egg donation program women must undergo a thorough screening process. Donors are not charged for the screening process, which allows them to receive a reproductive health check for free. If you donate your eggs, you will be tested for diseases like Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as various genetic disorders. Ovoria Egg Donor Bank examines potential donors according to the international ART associations guidelines: EU-Tissue Directive 2004/23/CE, 2006/17/EC.

Our lab and diagnostics testing encompass; 

• Blood type, Rh factor
• HIV-1 Ag р24 and summary antibodies, including group О and HIV-2 (ECLIA)
• Treponema pallidum, summary antibodies
• PCR HBV (Real-time)
• PCR HCV (Real-time)
• PCR, Chlamydia trachomatis (genital swab)
• PCR. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (genital swab)
• Сomplete blood count
• Coagulogram
• CMV, IgМ
• CMV, IgG
• AMH, MIS
• LH
• Estradiol (E2)
• FSH
• Vaginal smear
• PAP-test
• Psychological counselling

Genetic testing includes: 

• Karyotype
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Fragile X
• SMA

Ovoria Egg Donor Bank provides intended parents with an extensive screening option, including a 400+ panel carrier screen, which can help them assess their risk of having a child with specific genetic defects and certain disorders. This includes a next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of 418 genes associated with the most prevalent recessive genetic disorders, including copy number variants (CNVs) for 33 genes:

• Cx26
• CFTR
• PAH
• SMN1
• DMD
• CYP21A2
• FANCA
• FANCC
• GBA
• HBA1,2
• HEXA

Taking advantage of the opportunity to receive a free health screening can help individuals retrieve valuable insights into their overall well-being.

Receiving a Monetary Compensation

Financial compensation is another factor that motivates individuals to consider egg donation. The compensation package can contribute to covering educational expenses, supporting living costs, or building a nest egg for the future.

Having an Opportunity to Know The Child

The opportunity to connect with the child born from an egg donation can be both a positive and negative aspect of the process. In some cases, such as directed egg donation, donors may have the opportunity to maintain contact with the child throughout their life. However, in anonymous egg donation, this possibility is not available.

Psychological Satisfaction

Egg donation can provide significant psychological benefits, including feelings of happiness and fulfilment. The act of helping a couple achieve their dream of parenthood can be a deeply rewarding experience for donors.

Cons of Donating Eggs 

Experiencing Side Effects

While some donors may experience minimal side effects from the fertility drugs, others may face certain physiological and emotional challenges. The side effects can include bloating, mood swings, cramping, aching, PMS-like symptoms, or hot flashes. 

Emotional Distress 

The egg donation process can be emotionally demanding, requiring a significant commitment of time and energy. The medical procedures involved can raise concerns and anxieties for donors. To address these potential emotional challenges, Ovoria Egg Donor Bank offers personality assessments to evaluate the emotional readiness and suitability of potential donors. Additionally, the inevitable connection of a woman to her egg, which ultimately leads to pregnancy, can sometimes be overwhelming. 

For the Recipient - Disadvantages and Advantages of Using an Egg Donor

Pros of Using Donor Eggs

• Increased chances of pregnancy success: Fertility treatment with donor eggs is highly effective, having success rates comparable to those of IVF with younger women's eggs. This is because eggs are typically obtained from healthy, young women who have a high ovarian reserve.
• Expanded family building possibilities: Egg donation allows women of all ages, including those who are past menopause, to experience pregnancy and parenthood. It also provides hope for couples struggling with infertility due to genetic conditions or premature ovarian failure (ovaries stop working before the age of 40).
• Genetic screening and selection: The donor program offers the possibility of genetic screening and selection, allowing intended parents to choose an egg donor with a family history free of genetic disorders.
• Medical and psychological screening: Donors undergo extensive medical and psychological screening to ensure their health and suitability for the process. This helps to minimise potential risks to both the donor and the recipient. 

Cons of Using Donor Eggs

• Emotional and psychological considerations: The decision to use an egg donor can be emotionally complex, as it involves considering the role of genetic heritage in family relationships. Intended parents may grapple with feelings of grief, loss, or uncertainty about their connection to their child.
• Financial cost: The procedure is quite costly, with the total cost ranging from 3,500 to 7,000 euros on average. This includes the donor's compensation, medical and legal fees, and IVF costs.
• Potential health risks for the donor: The egg donation procedure involves hormonal stimulation and egg retrieval, which can carry some risks, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and infection. However, these risks are generally considered to be low.
• Legal considerations: Intended parents and egg donors should carefully consider the legal implications of egg donation, including potential custody or visitation rights for the donor.
• Regulatory and ethical concerns: Egg donation is a highly regulated industry, and there are ongoing debates about ethical issues such as the commercialization of fertility and the potential exploitation of donors.

Find out more information about the egg donation process in Ovoria Egg Bank.

Experience the Power of Egg Donation - Donate or Receive the Gift of Life

Ready to embark on a life-changing journey? Whether you want to donate your eggs or are in need of a donor, Ovoria Egg Bank is here to support you every step of the way. If you want to take part in the egg donation program, do not hesitate to contact us.