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How do I know I need an egg donor?

Age-related decline in fertility is the most common reason women, trying to get pregnant, use an egg donor.

Women are born with a fixed number of eggs and both the number and quality of these eggs goes down with age, especially after the age of 35 years. So, women who may need donor eggs include –

  • women in their late 30s and 40s
  • those who have already tried IVF without success
  • those who have had multiple miscarriages
  • younger women with fewer eggs and diminished ovarian function due to early menopause, ovarian insufficiency, chemotherapy or ovarian surgery
  • same sex male couples or single males
  • women with rare genetic conditions, or family history of such conditions, that carry the risk of being inherited

If you are considering using an egg donor, you need to consult a fertility specialist. Your fertility doctor would conduct a full evaluation with physical examination, medical and genetic history, and appropriate tests, to detect and correct any abnormalities that could affect fertilization, implantation or pregnancy.

You may undergo pre-treatment counseling to help you and your partner understand how the procedure works and the risks and likelihood of a successful pregnancy. Along with your doctor, you would review options of fresh vs. frozen eggs. Counseling would also include discussion about the psychological, legal and financial aspects of using another person’s eggs to have a baby.

In an egg donation IVF treatment, eggs from a fertile woman would be fertilized in the lab with your partner’s sperm (or donor sperm, if required) and the resulting embryos are transferred to your uterus. When using donor eggs, single embryo transfer is usually done.

The success rates for women undergoing IVF with donor eggs depend on the age of the egg donor and quality of her eggs, and not the recipient’s age. Yet, your overall health and uterine function is important for a healthy pregnancy.

Once you’ve made the decision to use an egg donor, the next decision is deciding an arrangement that is best for you.

Donors, whether you know them or not, should be under the age of 35 but preferably aged 21-33, nonsmokers, with a normal body weight and a healthy medical and genetic history.

The different options for egg donation include:

  • Working with a “known donor”, for example, a younger sister or niece or a friend
  • Working with an “anonymous donor”, for example, a woman with excellent reproductive potential who has been paid for her effort and health risks associated with an egg donation cycle
  • Donor Egg Bank

Egg donation has proven to be a good option for many fertility-related issues and success rates are high.

To learn more or to consult an experienced fertility specialist, call one of the best Los Angeles fertility clinics and IVF centers, Pacific Reproductive Center at 866-423-2645.


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