# Oocyte Donation



## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

Oocyte Donation

Also known as egg donation is the process by which a woman donates her eggs to be used in the treatment of others or for research.

What does it involve?

Egg donation revolves around synchronising the recipient's menstrual cycle with that of the donor's. From here on a standard IVF procedure is usually followed. With the exception that the donor is given drugs to stimulate her ovaries to produce eggs. Eggs are then collected from the donor and the donated eggs are then fertilised with sperm from the recipient's partner. Following fertilisation, the embryos are transferred either into the uterus or fallopian tubes of the recipient.

_Women who can benefit from egg donation are those including :_

•	those suffering from premature menopause 
•	those with ovarian damage following surgery, radiation or chemotherapy
•	those with primary ovulation failure
•	those who carry an inheritable genetic disorder
•	those whose apparently normal eggs repeatedly fail to fertilise in an IVF programme, or whose embryos repeatedly fail to implant
•	those who repeatedly fail to respond to ovarian stimulation in an IVF programme

Donors are matched as closely as possible with the recipient couple for characteristics
It is illegal in the UK to be paid for donating eggs but reasonable expenses are allowed to be paid.


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