Egg share scheme

TFP Nurture Fertility runs a very successful egg share scheme. Egg sharing allows patients who have a normal ovarian reserve to have IVF/ICSI treatment, and in the process, donate some of their eggs to someone who doesn’t produce good quality eggs of their own. If you choose to share your eggs, you’re choosing to donate some of your eggs to another woman. You receive your own treatment at a discount and are helping someone else achieve their dream of starting or growing their family.

Who can be an egg sharing donor at TFP Nurture Fertility?

To be an egg sharing donor at TFP Nurture Fertility, you must:

• Be less than 35 years of age (i.e. treatment cycle must finish before the 35th birthday)

• Not be affected by polycystic ovarian syndrome

• Have an AMH value of at least ≥15.0 pmol/L and an antral follicle count of 20 or more (showing a good ovarian reserve)

• Have body mass index of up to 35 (acceptance will be on a case by case basis)

• Be a non-smoker

• Test negative for various infectious diseases

• Complete a genetic questionnaire to rule out the possibility of an inherited condition being passed on

• Be willing to undergo counselling for implications

Costs

The egg share donor will pay for screening tests, including semen analysis if required. Providing these are satisfactory and the egg share donor proceeds to treatment, they will pay for the drugs and the HFEA treatment cycle fee. The IVF treatment will be provided free of charge. If you require any additional treatments including ICSI, SSR, Blastocyst, Embryo Glue, Embryo freezing or Time-lapse, these will be charged as per our current fee schedule.

How do I proceed?

• We will need a referral letter, which can be from your GP or Consultant. You can also choose to self-refer via our website or send an email to nurture@tfp-fertility.com.

• We will then ask you to attend for a scan to look at the number of follicles you have. At the same time, you will have a blood test to measure AMH level. Both these tests will determine if you are suitable to egg share.

• If your test results are satisfactory, an appointment will be arranged to discuss the egg share scheme in detail.

• Following the appointment, screening blood tests will be done.

• If all the findings are satisfactory, a consultation with one of our clinicians is arranged. At this consultation, treatment options and any medical issues will be discussed. In addition, the consultant is required by the HFEA to complete a Welfare of the Child assessment.

• Before proceeding further, we would ask that you make an appointment to meet with one of our counsellors to discuss the implications of donating eggs. It is a requirement by HFEA, the government body that regulates IVF in the UK, that all donors and their partners are offered counselling.

• Finally, the matching process can begin.

Your commitment as an egg sharer

As the egg-sharing donor – whether you know the recipient or you are donating altruistically – you make a formal commitment to share a number of your eggs, depending on how many we collect. If you decide to keep all your eggs, you are liable for the full treatment costs of a standard cycle. Both you and the recipient should be aware that you, as the donor, are free to withdraw consent to donate your eggs or to transfer embryos derived from those eggs at any time up until they are transferred to the recipient.

How the eggs are shared

It’s our policy to try to ensure that your chances of pregnancy are not reduced by donating some of your eggs. All eggs are shared immediately after egg collection. For a recipient cycle to proceed, a minimum of four eggs must be donated.

If there are eight or more eggs collected from the donor they will be split equally between the donor and the recipient. If there are an odd number of eggs, the extra egg will be donated to the recipient.

Cancellation of treatment

Occasionally, treatment cycles have to be cancelled for various reasons. In such circumstances, it is very important to have a clear agreement in place.

In the unlikely event that your recipient has to withdraw from their treatment cycle once you have started your treatment and no suitable recipient can be found to replace them, you will be offered the choice to either continue with your treatment cycle and pay the full costs, or cancel the cycle and await to be re-matched with another recipient. Should you choose to cancel your cycle and await to be re-matched with another recipient, TFP Nurture Fertility will replace any drugs that you have used free of charge.

TFP Nurture Fertility’s conditions are:

• If less than three follicles develop, the cycle will be cancelled. No further treatments will be offered on the egg share scheme, although it would be possible to have a self-funded treatment, with a revised protocol.

• If a cycle is cancelled due to the risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation, the egg provider will be offered a further egg donation cycle excluding the cost of the drugs with a revised protocol.

• If a cycle is cancelled for another reason, e.g. failed fertilisation or failed egg collection, a free review consultation will be offered.

What if, as an egg-sharing donor, I don’t produce at least 8 eggs?

If less than 8 eggs are collected, your options are:

• You will keep all your eggs and proceed with your own treatment. TFP Nurture Fertility will let the recipient know that the donation isn’t going ahead.

For female same-sex couples donating to their partner:

• You will keep all your eggs and proceed with your own treatment. TFP Nurture Fertility will let the recipient know that the donation isn’t going ahead.