Donation

The young women who donate eggs share a specific profile. They are women who are motivated to help others become pregnant, maybe because they have experienced the problem personally with friends, sisters, etc. They may also know other donors who have experienced donation and have found it to be a gratifying process; or because they themselves have had to recur to a sperm donation. In general, they place great value on being a mother.

What tests need to be done to become a donor?

All donors who come to our centre are given an initial interview, including an anamnesis to determine their medical and family history (with the aim of ruling out hereditary diseases) as well as a routine gynaecological examination. If, on the first visit, it seems that the donor could be suitable, a series of complementary tests are carried out:

Psychological report:

An appointment is arranged with the psychologist to do a personality test.

Hormone and serology analyses:

A complete analysis must be carried out, on both serology and hormones, to determine the follicular reserve and to rule out pathologies.

Karyotype:

All donors are asked for a karyotype to rule out chromosome alterations that could be transmitted to children.

Genetic test to determine cystic fibrosis gene mutations:

Donors must be ruled out from being carriers of the mutation of this gene.

Once all the tests have been done and the result is satisfactory, it is time to adjudicate a recipient, according to the physical characteristics and the blood group. At this time, the cycles of the two patients are synchronised and while the donor starts the stimulation process, the recipient will have to start a treatment to prepare the endometrium.

How is the donation done?

Once the donor has been adjudicated, she will start stimulation hormone treatment to obtain several eggs in a cycle and thus be able to obtain the greatest number of embryos in the laboratory.

This treatment is daily and is administered subcutaneously following instructions from her doctor.

During the time the stimulation lasts, a follow up on the process will be done by means of ultrasound scans and hormone analyses to follow up on the development of the follicular growth to be able to decide on the ideal moment for the puncture.

Follicular puncture

Follicular puncture is the technique that allows the eggs to be extracted. This is done in an operating theatre under general anaesthesia (sedation).

Transvaginally and with the help of an ultrasound scan the follicles are localised (sacks with liquid in which the eggs are found) and the liquid is aspirated to extract the eggs. The length of the process varies according to the number of follicles.

When the puncture has been completed, in the laboratory the biologists find the eggs in the follicular liquid and they are maintained in culture until the moment of the insemination. The number of eggs that are obtained per cycle varies according to the woman and the stimulation regimen.

It should be taken into account that not all the eggs obtained from a puncture are mature and that only the mature ones will be inseminated.

The puncture is an outpatient intervention, therefore once the donor has recovered, she may go home.

Anonymous, voluntary donation

Donation is an anonymous, voluntary process and the recipient may only get to know the physical characteristics and the blood group of the donor. The donor may not get to know the child that may be born as a result of the donation and has no rights or obligations over this child, or vice versa.

Does the donation involve any economic payment?

The donation is altruistic, therefore there is no payment. However, there is an economic compensation for donors for the inconvenience caused during the process, as well as for travelling or possible time off work. This compensation is 900 euros.

Can all women be donors?

Not all women can be donors, they must be aged between 18 and 35 and all the above mentioned tests must be correct in order to be able to make a donation. Donors who have made 6 children possible are not allowed to make any more donations.

Do you like to become a donor?