IVFAustralia provides egg donation treatment for women who are unable to conceive using their own eggs, where the donor and the recipient are known to each other.  In most instances, women who use donated eggs come to the clinic with their own donor – usually a friend or family member.  

In the event a woman does not have her own donor, IVFAustralia is unable to recruit an egg donor on behalf of the recipient. However, we can provide both support and practical assistance on ways to do so. On the rare occasion a woman contacts IVFAustralia to offer themselves as an egg donor,  IVFAustralia will put them in contact with an IVFAustralia patient who is currently seeking an egg donor.

Donors are ideally aged between 21 and 38 years of age, who have usually completed their own family and want to facilitate pregnancy for another woman.  

A genetic, social and medical history (including blood tests) is needed from the donor before acceptance. There are significant screening tests undertaken on the donor including blood group, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, cystic fibrosis, syphilis, chlamydia, chromosome analysis and HIV status.

Egg donors need to be prepared to discuss and provide the following types of information:

The pregnancy rate of donor egg treatment is directly related to the age of the donor, number and quality of donated eggs.

Following an initial specialist consultation, counselling of both the recipient and donor is the next step. We discuss legal, social, genetic and moral implications of the donation as well as the medical related health checks and procedures involved.

A medical check is undertaken on the donor before undergoing an ‘IVF cycle’ to facilitate the collection of her eggs. These eggs are then fertilised and transferred to the recipient.

The donor is given medication to stimulate her ovaries to produce an optimum number of eggs. The recipient begins taking oestrogen and progesterone to prepare the lining of her uterus. Blood tests and vaginal ultrasounds monitor the donor and alert us to collect the eggs (just prior to the donor ovulating). The egg collection is done in a day surgery using a light general anaesthetic to ensure the woman is comfortable.

At the time of egg collection the recipient’s partner provides semen, which is used to fertilise the eggs in the laboratory. Traditionally the embryos are allowed to develop for 3 – 5 days before one or two are transferred to the recipient. Any other variable embryos are frozen for potential future attempts.  After two weeks, a pregnancy test is undertaken.