# Advice on what route to go please. Donor eggs / sperm



## koala boo (Jul 29, 2007)

I would really appreciate some advice as we are struggling to make a decision on what route to go on what may have to be our last attempt of fertility treatment. 
We have had rounds of D-IVM which has resulted in a pregnancy in 2009 and our lovely daughter who will be 6 in November. 
Since our daughter, we have had a few more rounds of D-IVM which have all been BFN's and now poor egg quality on these last few rounds too. 
So the options are.. 
IVM which is the least expensive and most gentlest form of treatment especially from having PCO. The success rates are less with IVM (but has worked for us obviously in 2009) but now being on the older side for IVM (33) I believe the chances are less likely.
IVF - short protocol with antagonist trigger. I understand this would be a gentler form of IVF but there is still a risk of OHSS which frightens me (I have had in the past quite severe & in hospital for a week But was with another clinic, was bad experience). I have not had the short protocol antagonist trigger before and understand may help my egg quality.?. More expensive but stats are better but could make me rather poorly which we are worried about..
Our other thoughts and discussions with our clinic has been donor eggs (already have donor sperm). I have heard the success is better but up to a year waiting list and sounds very, very expensive around £9500.00! Does anyone know why donor eggs are so much more expensive on that note? 
So, with the expense of donor eggs and risks of IVF and stats being less with poor egg quality on last few rounds of IVM we are so confused on what way to go however, we would like to get on with one of them as soon as. Our heads are just so full of confusion on what way to go on the fertility option that I thought to come here for advice..
Thank you in advance for any replies here


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## Miss Sunshine22 (Mar 12, 2013)

Hi Koala boo

Sorry to hear you're struggling to make a decision  

On our 2nd IVF, I did the short protocol. I found it much easier than the long protocol and it did yield more eggs (11 eggs and 7 embryos - but I was on maximum dose of stimms), but not sure if the quality was any different as in the end we were left with 3 day 5 embies. On our 1st IVF, I did the long protocol, which yielded fewer eggs (7 eggs and 3 embryos), and we ended up with 2 day 5 embies. So not much of a difference in the end - both were BFN, and the frostie was also BFN. Has your clinic given you any advice about whether you're likely again to develop OHSS?

We were advised to go for donor eggs as our last IVF was a disaster, with only 3 eggs collected and 0 to transfer. It was an easy decision to make as for us, as it was the only way forward if we wanted a baby. We are doing ED in the UK. When you add up the costs of recruiting the donor, putting her through lots of medical screenings, and paying her expenses (all before the actual IVF and medication) the costs mount up. Add to that, the costs of your medications, any tests you might need, and the scans etc you will need and it does become expensive. The reason we chose the UK over clinics abroad (which are often cheaper) is because we wanted to give any child born (if we're lucky ) the opportunity to find out about the donor in the future. We've also gone for an altruistic donor (non-shared) which will hopefully give us more eggs and a chance of frosties.


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## Blondie71 (Oct 26, 2011)

Are you looking specifically for open id donor treatment If you aren't I know Serum in Athens has an embryo adoption program and they will do frozen embryo transfer for 3000 euro so that's potentially 3 times more tries than you'd have at home plus they have no waiting time you can go whenever it's convenient.

Hth


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## mogscat (Aug 6, 2014)

Hi

I'm having IVF at Newlife (Thessaloniki, Greece) and asked them about OHSS.  They have been OHSS-free for four years.  I am having donor egg IVF with ICSI.  I was matched with a donor exactly my height, colouring, weight and even the same profession, within a couple of weeks. ( I didn't want to have donor at risk of OHSS)  We're paying 5500 Euros.  

I would ask around a few clinics what their record is on OHSS and avoid any who give you vague answers or have recent cases.  I think OHSS is an indicator of the quality of the clinic and of how much care they genuinely take of their patients, so it's a good marker to help judge and make your decision.  
To double check, you could look on clinic threads and see if anyone has had OHSS at that clinic recently.  

Best of luck, hope you find a way forward soon.
xx


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## koala boo (Jul 29, 2007)

Hi all and thank you for your replies   ,
After much thought, DH and I are steering towards the D-IVF short protocol. Hopefully this is the right choice..



Miss Sunshine22 - Thank you for your reply. In answer to your question, our clinic didn't advise whether I would or would not be likely to get OHSS again from IVF but did say with age it may reduce and from being scanned they should be able to tell how polcystic my ovaries are. I would have a milder form of IVF treatment with antagonist trigger short protocol which I haven't had before so apparently my risks should be greatly reduced with this and they would very likely monitor me carefully.
When I had D-IVF before it was with another clinic in London and was a terrible experience where they didn't even check me for PCO in the beginning so I was on the full long protocol of IVF and probably why I developed OHSS then. They had the nerve to accuse me overdosing on injecting etc which they said must be why I over stimulated. I was in hospital for a week on a drip with fluid on the lungs. A bad experience. 
The clinic we are with now are brilliant.
Lots of good luck to you with your fertility treatment    .


Blondie71 - thank you for your reply. That is interesting with the embryo adoption and no waiting list in Athens. It is good to know. We do already have donor sperm with our clinic so was looking into donor eggs. Although we have discussed donor embryos as well. Do you know if they would bring them over to the UK or would you need to take trips to their clinic for treatment and ET? Thanks again   


Mogscat - thank you for your post. I must admit I have never heard of a clinic that is OHSS free. I suppose with the donor eggs they would do screening etc.. Sounds like a perfect match they have found you. 
The clinic we are with does IVM which is specially for women with PCO like myself and there is no risk at all of getting OHSS with this form of treatment. It is very gentle and natural and has worked for us in 2009. 
I will take a look at the clinic threads though.
Good luck with your treatment


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## Blondie71 (Oct 26, 2011)

Hiya you would need to go to Athens for transfer x


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## RachLew (Jul 29, 2015)

Hey koala boo,

I was in a similar situation and am now trying for an egg donation. IVF treatments failed and my ovarian reserve is just too low. After all these treatments I had earlier I cannot afford more failures and chose a clinic in Spain now, to follow an egg donation program at IVF-Spain. The price is 6350€ for a shared egg donation and I was advised to do an extra treatment, called EEVA, to enhance the success rates. That’s def cheaper than British clinics and there is NO waiting list. I go there next week for my first visit, then I will know more. Am very excited. 
In your case I would compare prices and success rates. Success rates are soo important, I think more important than the price.


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