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Treatment with donor eggs

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We offer egg donation to couples and singles who, for various reasons, cannot conceive with their own eggs. For some women and couples, egg donation is the only option to have a healthy child.

Who can receive donor eggs?  


Egg donation is an option for couples and single women who cannot conceive with their own eggs.

What are the requirements for receiving donor eggs?  


You can receive egg donation up to the age of 46. This means that treatment must have started by the time you are 45 at the latest.   

What is required of you to receive eggs?  


You/they must come for an interview with one of our fertility experts at the clinic. Here we will review your/their past history and plan your/their future process with us. Afterwards, you/they will have discussions with a nurse and/or the egg donation team.   




The following tests are required from whoever will be receiving donor eggs. We will be happy to assist with all tests being taken at the clinic prior to the initial interview:  

  

  • Your most recent cell scan (smear) 

  • A blood test showing that you have had rubella 

  • A chlamydia test (urine or blood test) 

  • A screening of your metabolism (your TSH value and a screening for TPO antibodies, blood test) 

  • Vitamin D status (blood test) 

  • Negative viral tests (here you are tested for HIV and hepatitis B and C, blood test) 

  • Virus samples must be analysed in an ISO-certified laboratory (DK: Rigshospitalet or Statens Serum Institut) 

  


The following tests are required from a male partner if the eggs are fertilised with the man's sperm. We will be happy to assist with all tests being taken at the clinic prior to the initial interview:  

  

  • A semen analysis 

  • Vitamin D status (blood test) 

  • Negative viral tests (here tested for HIV and hepatitis B and C, blood test) 

  • The virus samples must have been analysed in an ISO-certified laboratory (DK: Rigshospitalet or Statens Serum Institut) 

Types of donation for egg donation  


The decision to receive donor eggs can be difficult, so it is important that you take time to consider the decision. A donor can choose to be ID-release (open), no ID-release (anonymous) or a 'known' donor



Non ID-release (Anonymous) donation  


Non ID-release means that contact can never be established with the donor. Basic information is provided in the form of the donor's skin, hair and eye colour, height and weight. At no time is it possible to obtain the donor's identity. For some donors, which we call "plus", there is a range of additional information about the donor. The donor decides what she wants to disclose (e.g. education and hobbies). At no time is it possible to obtain the donor's identity.  



ID-release (Open) donation  


ID-release means that at a later stage (typically when the child is 18 years old) identifiable information about the donor can be provided to the child via the clinic. In addition, it is possible to obtain the same information about the donor in the form of the basic profile. 



Known donation  


In 'known donation', the recipient couple has established contact with a woman who wishes to donate her eggs to the couple. This donor is not compensated by the clinic, so you must agree with the donor how and if she will be compensated by you. The known donor must not be closely related to the man, which means she must not be a sister or cousin of the man, or be a daughter of the man's cousin.  



Anonymous cross-donation  


So-called anonymous cross-donation is also possible, which works by you coming up with an egg donor yourself who wants to donate her eggs - but not to you. Her eggs are donated to another couple or another single woman (in the case of double donation) than you and you will be at the front of the queue to receive donor eggs. This treatment is only available at Stork and Ciconia.


A lovely greeting from Lotte, who has received donor eggs.

- Lotte -

We are super happy that it was possible. When it is difficult to have children, there are a lot of emotions at play and you are on a big rollercoaster ride along the way. But we've been really lucky twice, and we're super grateful that there are people who donate so that those of us who can't by nature can still have children.

The egg donation process

1. Hormone therapy and egg retrieval at the egg donor

The egg donor receives hormone treatment to mature more eggs than in the natural cycle. The egg retrieval itself is done by the doctor using a needle to extract eggs from the ovaries.   

2. The eggs are fertilised in the laboratory 

The retrieved eggs are fertilised with sperm from the recipient's partner by in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or microinsemination (intracytoplasmic sperm injection - ICSI) in the laboratory. In double donation, the eggs retrieved are fertilised with donor sperm.  

3. Hormone treatment of the recipient and transfer of fertilised eggs 

The fertilised egg can be inserted in your own cycle or a cycle with hormones.   

NB: Covid-19 restrictions have however meant that we currently freeze all fertilised eggs prior to transfer.   

After five days they are either inserted in the womb or frozen for use in a freeze cycle (FER). At our clinic in Aarhus, the egg is always placed in a freeze cycle.  

Excess fertilised eggs can be frozen for possible later transfer (cryopreservation). 

Are there any risks to egg donation?  


Pregnancy with egg donation is more risky than pregnancy with your own eggs. That is why we insert one egg at a time. You should also be aware that pregnancy is a greater risk if the recipient is of advanced age (e.g. over 40) than it is for younger women. The doctor will discuss these risks in the consultation before starting the treatment. 

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