The world's first baby conceived through egg donation by Monash IVF was born in 1983. Since then, hundreds of donor egg programs have been established throughout the world and most established IVF clinics have associated donor egg clinics
The Monash Donor Egg Program remains one of the largest in the world and over 130 babies have been born through its services.
Recipients
Originally, recipients for egg donation were women who had experienced premature ovarian failure (menopause). A smaller group were women who carried a significant genetic risk of foetal abnormality in conceptions from their own eggs. More recently, the largest group requesting egg donation comes from women aged approximately 40 years or more who have undergone several attempts at routine IVF without success. A smaller group of recipients now comprises menopausal women aged 45-54 years.
Donors
Egg donors are either anonymous or known to the recipient and generally must be aged between 21 and 36 years. Most donors today are fertile women who donate altruistically to a known recipient. The known donor situation has the advantage that both identifying and non-identifying information is immediately available to both respective donor and recipient couples.
Treatment Cycle
Fresh embryos must be transferred to a receptive uterus and the menstrual cycles of donor and recipient will be synchronised to achieve this. This is achieved by down-regulating the recipient if she has regular cycles and then adding hormone replacement therapy. This hormone regimen will also be used if she has irregular or absent menstrual cycles. Hormone treatment must be continued for several months in early pregnancy.
Success Rates
The pregnancy rate of donor egg treatment by Monash IVF approximates 25%/cycle and is directly related to the number and quality of donated eggs. The follow-up of donor egg pregnancies has been extensively reviewed by Monash IVF showing no added risks or complications in their pregnancies compared to fertile women of similar age. The main problem of all donor egg programs today is the extreme shortage of donors despite the growing demand of this program.