Embryo donation is a type of fertility treatment that can be used by couples or single women looking to conceive but aren’t able to do so naturally. Embryo donation is not to be confused with egg donation, as they refer to different stages in the conception process. A woman may need an embryo donation when she requires both an egg from a donor and a sperm donation, whether due to the fact that she is a single woman without viable eggs or part of a couple and neither of them are able to produce the required components for successful fertilization. Embryos are an egg that has already been fertilized by sperm and are typically donated by couples looking to help other people realize their dreams of having a baby. Due to the nature of the donation, the donating couple will have already gone through the IVF process to have a baby and have had their eggs harvested, and a semen sample collected to start the process of building an embryo.

An egg donation and an embryo donation differ in the stage of the process of conception that they are at. Egg donation involves donating only the mature egg to a woman who may not be able to produce eggs or produces low-quality eggs. With an egg donation, the woman would have a partner, or use a sperm donor, that would provide a semen sample in order to fertilize the egg to form an embryo. Embryo donation is one step further along than an egg donation in that the egg has already been combined with a sperm sample and an embryo has formed. This is an option when both the egg and sperm of the couple trying to conceive are not viable for a successful pregnancy, if there is a risk for either partner to pass on a genetic disorder to a couple or for women who are single that can’t use their own eggs to conceive.

The qualifications needed to be an embryo donor can vary by country, with requirements being based on the donating person’s age and overall health. Regardless of who or where you are receiving the donation from, they need to qualify for an embryo donation.

The following requirements will need to be met by anyone donating an embryo:

– Age requirement of at least the age of majority and preferably in the age range of 21-34 years old. This is to ensure that they can give informed consent, but also in this age range, women are able to produce the highest number of eggs and their eggs are more likely to create a high-quality embryo with a higher implantation success rate.
– Medical pre-screening for psychological, genetic and medical risk factors including hereditary diseases. Testing will be done to screen for syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis B and C and chlamydia trachomatis.
– Understand the legalities around embryo donation and that the donating party will have no legal right to the child unless it is agreed upon by all parties involved prior to the donation happening.

Women can be disqualified from donating eggs for a variety of reasons. Eggs that are donated should be of the highest quality to ensure they are more likely to be successfully implanted and lead to a healthy pregnancy. For this reason, eggs that are at a higher risk of being poor quality may be rejected. Women who are over the age of 35 are often disqualified from donating eggs due to the body’s natural slow down in egg production and the increased likelihood of complications. If there are any pre-existing medical conditions or a family history of medical conditions that could get passed on to a baby, that would also disqualify a woman from being able to donate her eggs. A full health assessment will need to be completed on anyone interested in donating eggs to ensure that she is in good health and her eggs will be suitable for donation.

If you have questions or want more information about embryo donation services, then we encourage you to contact our team of healthcare professionals today at The New Hope Center For Reproductive Medicine. You can reach us through our website, or you can call us directly.