Embryo / Egg / Sperm Donation

All About Embryo / Egg / Sperm Donation Services

Embryo Adoption or Donor Embryo Transfer

Some couples have a severe egg and sperm factor. If they have been unsuccessful with self-gametes or wish to opt for a donor egg and donor sperm for medical reasons, this can be offered to the couple and is rightly called embryo adoption or more commonly embryo donation (the latter term is actually a misnomer).

In this procedure, a healthy anonymous donor’s eggs are fertilised with anonymous donor sperm from a sperm bank and one or two of resultant embryos are placed in the intending mother’s womb at an opportune time. This leads to a high pregnancy rate. However, it is essential for the couple to understand, grasp and accept the fact that resultant offspring will not be their genetic child but will be their biological child. It is a pre-requisite that the couples undergo thorough counselling and are mentally ready for this form of treatment.

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Egg donation

Ovum (egg) donation is a process where the eggs of a healthy young woman (the egg donor) are fertilised with the sperms from the patient's husband and the resulting embryos are then transferred into the patient's uterus. This process not only gives the couple the gift of parenthood but also gives the woman the opportunity to experience the joys of being pregnant.

The Procedure of Egg Donation

The process of egg donation starts with the selection of a donor. The candidate will be an anonymous donor who has been approved after a series of medical and genetic screenings. The donor's ovaries are stimulated by a stimulation regimen to produce multiple eggs. The eggs are then retrieved, fertilised and the embryos cultured. The embryos with the highest quality are transferred into the recipient's uterus.

Who is it for?

Older women who have reduced quality and quantity of eggs
Women with reproductive problems such as ovarian failure
Poor response to previous IVF treatment
Women with genetic diseases that they do not want to pass on to the child

Sperm donation

Donated sperm is offered to couples where there is no possibility of retrieving sperms naturally or by a surgical procedure for a man. The donor sperm is used to either inseminate the woman (IUI) or to fertilise her eggs in an IVF process. As is obvious, the couple is counselled together about the implications and process involved in such a treatment.
All donor sperm samples are to be availed from established and registered sperm banks. These sperm samples are from fertile donors that have been screened for viral infections and common genetic disorders. No fresh donors or known donors should ever be used.

The samples are identified by a number code provided by the sperm bank.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I opt for IVF?

IVF was originally developed for women with blocked tubes or missing fallopian tubes and it is still the procedure of choice for these situations. It is also used when other conditions are present, including endometriosis, male factor infertility and unexplained infertility in which no medical cause for infertility can be found. Our experts will review your history and help to guide you to the treatment and diagnostic procedures that are most appropriate for you.

What are the causes of male infertility?

1/3rd of the infertility issues are contributed by the male partner. Male factors also influence increased rate of miscarriages. Most common causes of male infertility are as follows.

Abnormal sperm count or low sperm motility
Chronic ailments such as cancer
Environmental factors: Exposure to radioactive chemicals
Lifestyle factors: Being overweight, smoking, drinking alcohol
Age

What causes of female infertility?

Infertility is gender neutral. It affects the male and the female population. 1/3rd of the infertility issues are contributed by the female partner. In the world 50-80 million suffer from infertility. Most common causes of female infertility are as follows.

Age
Endometriosis
Hormonal issues leading to ovulation problems
Tubal blockage
Fibroids
Lifestyle factors: Being overweight, smoking, drinking alcohol, unhealthy diet
Unexplained infertility

What effect does age have on a woman's infertility?

Women are born with approximately 2 million eggs in their ovaries. Before a girl reaches puberty, about 11,000 eggs die every month. Thus, in her teenage years, a woman has only about 300,000 to 400,000 eggs available. From this point onwards, about 1000 eggs are utilised every month. This has nothing to do with any form of birth control, pregnancy, hormone production, health, lifestyle or nutritional supplements. Eventually, a woman reaches menopause when she has no viable eggs left.

Does PCOS affect a woman's fertility?

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) refers to a condition caused by hormonal imbalances. Women suffering from PCOS produce higher than normal amounts of male hormones. This affects ovulation and can result in irregular periods. In some cases, women suffering from PCOS may have irregular periods. This, in turn, can make it harder for these women to conceive. In fact, PCOS is one of the most common causes of female infertility.

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