Despite advanced fertility treatments available today, some couples may still face difficulties conceiving because of an egg factor. In such cases, the female patient’s eggs cannot be used to create healthy embryos, and egg donation (oocyte donation) is undertaken. In egg donation, embryos are conceived using eggs obtained from a young egg donor (“donor”) and sperm. In order to maximize success rates for the intended parents, the donor undergoes ovarian stimulation with injectable medications and multiple eggs are produced. Simultaneously, the intended mother’s (“recipient’s”) uterus is prepared for implantation. The eggs are then harvested from the donor and fertilized with the intended father’s sperm in the laboratory. The embryos are next transferred into the recipient’s uterus so that she may carry the pregnancy.
Women who are of advanced reproductive age and/or those with diminished ovarian reserve, prematurely menopausal and menopausal women, or women who are carriers of specific genetic disorders may be candidates for egg donation. Additionally, egg donation, combined with gestational surrogacy, is a wonderful option for family building for gay men and couples who wish to have a biological child
Conception and live birth rates are typically highest with egg donation compared with any other assisted reproductive technology treatment. Egg donation is a wonderful alternative for couples who cannot conceive using other methods. The experience is exceptionally gratifying to the couple as well as the donor.
The California Center for Reproductive Health is proud to offer couples egg donation. We understand that egg donation is not a couple’s first choice for conception and recognize the emotional investment in the process. Our egg donation team of professionals strives to make the process confidential, safe and effective. We carefully screen each donor in our program with a comprehensive health questionnaire, physical, psychological, genetic, and ultrasound examinations. Each recipient’s health status is carefully evaluated to ensure a safe pregnancy. Our egg donation program is dedicated to the ultimate goal: a healthy child.
