donor egg (oocyte) programThis information sheet is designed to answer some of the questions you may have regarding the Donor Egg Program. If you require more detailed information, please contact the program coordinator or a member of the nursing staff here at Monash IVF.
 Background
The world's first donor egg baby was conceived at Monash IVF and was born in 1983. Since then, hundreds of donor egg programs have been established throughout the world and most IVF clinics have associated donor egg programs. The Monash IVF Donor Egg Program has been running successfully since the birth of that first child and remains one of the largest in the world with over 400 babies born through its' services.
Who is eligible for donor eggs?
This program is available to women who do not produce their own eggs or who cannot achieve a viable ongoing pregnancy with the eggs they produce. These women may have experienced premature ovarian failure (menopause) or they may have undergone several attempts at routine IVF cycles without success due to egg problems, or they may be menopausal and aged over 40 years. A smaller group of eligible women are those who carry a significant genetic risk of foetal abnormality in conception from their own eggs.
Due to the large demand for donor eggs and the difficulty the clinic has in recruiting donors, women are not eligible to be placed on the Anonymous Donor Egg Recipient Waiting List if they are aged 45 years or over. Also, they are not eligible for treatment with anonymous donor eggs if they are aged 50 years or over.
To be eligible for placement on the Anonymous Donor Egg Waiting List, a woman/couple must be registered with Monash IVF. If you are not registered, please contact your fertility specialist who will arrange registration for you.
Eligibility to the program will also depend on the current state and federal legislation.
Where do the egg donors come from?
Egg donors are either anonymous or known to the recipient and generally must be aged between 21 and 35 years. It is also preferable for donors to already have their own children and therefore proven fertility.
Some women are fortunate enough to have a sister or friend who is prepared to provide eggs for them. Known donation has the advantage of treatment being able to commence as soon as the preliminary investigations and counselling have been completed. Because the waiting time for anonymous egg donation is in excess of 2-3 years, potential recipients are encouraged to find their own donors.
Many couples/women have been able to recruit an egg donor through advertising, although strict government guidelines regulate the manner in which this may be done. If you are considering advertising, please contact your Monash fertility specialist or the program coordinator who will forward more detailed information to you.
There is a small group of women who undergo IVF procedures to altruistically provide eggs for another woman. There is no financial gain for these women as Federal legislation in Australia prevents payment for eggs. However travelling and medical expenses to the clinic are reimbursed.
The waiting time for treatment with anonymous donor eggs is in excess of 2-3 years and if the waiting list becomes too long, it will be temporarily closed. This means no new clients will be added to the list during the time of closure. At the present time, the anonymous donor egg waiting list is closed and will be for the forseeable future due to an extreme lack of anonymous donors.
What tests must the donors and recipients undergo?
Donors (plus their partners) and recipients are required to undergo counselling and blood tests for HIV (AIDS virus), Hepatitis B and C. Donors also have screening blood tests for venereal diseases, Cystic Fibrosis and blood groups. Necessary consent forms must also be completed.
How many attempts do we get?
Once you reach the top of the waiting list you are entitled to two fresh attempts at the program. Where frozen embryos result from a fresh donation, the transfer of those embryos does not count as an attempt. If you are unsuccessful after these 2 cycles and any resulting frozen embryo transfer cycles, you will be unable to go back on the waiting list.
What does the treatment cycle involve?
Fresh embryos must be transferred to a receptive uterus and the menstrual cycles of donor and recipient will be synchronised. This is achieved by down-regulating (using oral contraceptive pill) the recipient if she has regular cycles and then adding hormone replacement in the form of oestrogen tablets and progesterone vaginal pessaries. This hormone regimen will also be used if the recipient has irregular or absent menstrual cycles. If the recipient becomes pregnant, hormone treatment must be continued for several further months.
Success Rates
Approximately 1 woman in 5 will become pregnant following a donor egg treatment cycle, however the pregnancy rate is directly related to the number and quality of eggs donated. The follow-up of donor egg pregnancies has been extensively reviewed by Monash IVF (and many other clinics worldwide), and shows no added risks or complications in these pregnancies compared to women of similar age who become pregnant with their own eggs. The main problem of all donor egg programs today is the shortage of donors, which must be overcome because of the growing demand of this program.
Legal Implications
As the legislation is different in each state, check with your specific clinic for details.
In Victoria the current legislation offers the offspring of donated eggs the right to request identifying information about the donor once they reach 18 years of age.
Currently in Queensland there are no regulations pertaining to donor eggs. However it is possible that future regulation may require registration of such births.
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