Egg and sperm donor for future parents

1. Oocyte and sperm donors: who needs them, who they are, and where to find them
2. Price of donor oocytes
3. ART with egg donation

Some infertile couples have a slightly longer path to parenthood and may need an egg or sperm donor to have a baby. How the reproductive program for future parents looks like from the search for an oocyte donor to conducting ART with egg donation is considered in this article.

Oocyte and sperm donors: who needs them, who they are, and where to find them

The egg or sperm donation service is used by couples whose genetic material of one of the parents cannot be used to create an embryo.

Donors of germ cells undergo a rigorous selection by agencies or clinics conducting IVF programs with donation of oocytes or sperm. The requirement for a woman providing oocytes is as follows:

• Age up to 30 years;
• Having at least one healthy child;
• Absence of bad habits;
• Complete physical and mental health.

A woman undergoes a comprehensive examination to rule out sexually transmitted infections and genetic diseases. The hormonal status is being investigated. After being included in the donor base, candidates are periodically tested for narcotic substances, precursors and traces of tobacco.

As for sperm donors, the requirements for them are as follows:

• Age up to 35 years;
• Having at least one healthy child;
• Complete physical and mental health.

A man also takes blood tests for viruses and infections (including STIs), undergoes a genetic examination to rule out genetic pathologies. Sperm obtained from suitable candidates is cryopreserved for 6 months: during this time, hidden pathologies may appear. After re-checking, if the indicators are normal, the sperm can be used in donation programs.

The search for oocyte donors can be carried out in different ways: involving friends or relatives, searching on the Internet, contacting a specialized agency or a reproductive clinic. Any candidate before admission to the program undergoes a full examination in the reproductive clinic. In the case of working with an agency or clinic, depending on their rules, future parents will be able to choose a donor from a photo or meet in person.

There is a problem of finding donors in a country where ART is prohibited. IVF with donation of oocytes or sperm from third parties is prohibited by law in France, Austria, Luxembourg and a number of other countries. Couples from these and many other countries are forced to look for donation of oocytes to the family abroad.

Oocyte and sperm donor services are allowed in Belgium, but even here the search is complicated. Donation is allowed on a non-commercial basis, which greatly reduces the number of oocyte donors in Belgium willing to go through the process. Legislation obliges parents to disclose to a child who has reached the age of majority the secret of his birth.

The way out for couples wishing to become parents in Belgium can be international programs with the participation of foreign donors. For example, Feskov Human Reproduction Group donors are involved in programs in accordance with Ukrainian laws that do not oblige parents to tell their children about the participation of a third party in their birth.

Price of donor oocytes

Prices for donor genetic materials are very variable depending on the country and agency/clinic. Cryopreserved sperm costs about $900-1000, insemination by it costs about $240-400. The price range for donor oocytes is from $2,500 to $40,000 and even more when it comes to finding a donor for a demanding client (for example, you need oocytes from a blue-eyed Harvard graduate).

ART with egg donation

Possible ways of performing ART with egg donation for clients of Feskov Human Reproduction Group:

• Choosing an egg or sperm donor from our database with candidates of all possible races and phenotypes;
• Ordering the search for an individual donor;
• Attracting your oocyte/sperm donor from among relatives or friends.

For the parent-donor of genetic material, there are several options for participation:

1. Arrival at the clinic for the medical part of the program (father - in the case of working with donor oocytes, mother - when using donor sperm).
2. Delivery of your cryo-frozen genetic materials (sperm / oocytes) and arrival at the clinic of the expectant mother for embryo transfer.
3. Delivery of your cryo-frozen genetic materials (sperm/oocytes) for the creation and transfer of an embryo to a surrogate mother.

 In each of the cases described, the genetic material of one of the parent and the chosen donor is used to create an embryo. If the family involves their donor, he/she can either arrive at the clinic or be examined at our partner clinics in your country. In the second case, you will need the delivery of cryo-frozen genetic materials, which Feskov Human Reproduction Group will arrange for you.

As for the success rate with a donor egg or sperm: 80% of success determines the quality of the embryo. That is, to create it, you need very high-quality eggs and sperm. The remaining 20% is determined by the quality of the endometrium, medical tactics to support implantation and pregnancy, the health and age of the mother, and random factors, as in a normal pregnancy.

However, it has been noted that the use of cryopreserved eggs more often (2-3 times) leads to success than working with fresh ones.

If you are worried about the problems of legalizing a child born with the help of donation in your country, check out the reviews of our clients from all over the world who are now happy parents on the clinic's YouTube channel. Feskov Human Reproduction Group has elaborated this mechanism reliably, so we will succeed.

Choose the option of the program you are interested in and order a consultation of our doctors from the manager on the website!