​The first biggest decision that needs to be made is what type of donor you want: anonymous or identity released/non-anonymous. This decision is often based on whether it is your intention to tell a child about the use of a donor egg or not but also whether you want them to be able to have contact with a donor in the future.
When I first started helping patients undergo egg donation treatment it was in the early ’90s (yes I am showing my age!) and we only did about half a dozen egg donation cycles per year. Some were anonymous donations, and some were known and in most cases a sister donating to a sister. Over the years more and more donation cycles occurred, and most were anonymous with the understanding that the information given to you about your donor is all that you or any resulting child would be permitted to have. For most that was sufficient but as the years have gone by, the rights of the child in knowing about their heritage and genetic origins has become more of an issue that some countries have addressed. Also, the advent of genetic DNA testing and worldwide databases means that anonymity is not the guarantee that it previously was and should therefore be considered too.
As of now, egg donation is still anonymous in most countries in Europe (I will base this on Europe as that is where I am based though I am aware that the US offers both anonymous and known). The UK and Portugal offer identity released donors where a higher level of information is provided on the donor prior to treatment and a child has access to contact the donor through the relevant authority once they reach the age of 18. Photos of the donor are not permitted or shared with the patients. Georgia also provides a higher level of information on potential donors and photos are shared with the patients ahead of time. The other countries we have worked with most (Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Czech Republic, and Albania) give limited information on donors such as age, blood group, height, weight, hair and eye colour, complexion, and in some cases also ethnicity, level of education and hobbies and interests. Exactly what information is given seems to vary from clinic to clinic and country to country so knowing what you want to know about a donor can guide me as to where is best to consider for treatment based on this aspect before we look at anything else!
It is a very personal choice and I do not stand in one camp or the other as I feel it is your choice as prospective parents to decide what is best for you and any future child. This question helps me to help you and that is what I am here to do.

I was working at a clinic in Harley Street, my first job in this field and there was so much to learn! IVF and all that comes with it; in those days it was ultrasound scans and 24-hour urine collections. Yes, women had to collect all their urine throughout the day and bring it to the clinic so we could test it for various hormones. We were very glad when blood analysis became the norm instead! Then I was told about another form of IVF where a woman could donate those eggs collected to another who didn’t have any. Wow! What an amazing thing one woman can do for another whether they know them or not. To help someone else experience being a mother must be one of the most life-affirming things you can do.
So, who is egg donation suited for:

1. Those who suffer from primary ovarian failure (never had periods so never had eggs to achieve a pregnancy with) or premature ovarian failure (menopause happened way sooner than is normal).
2. Those who want to achieve a pregnancy later in life (mainly in their 40’s but in some cases, 50’s) when their own egg quality is compromised, and the use of a younger egg gives a much higher chance of success.
3. Those who know they have a high chance of passing on a genetic condition should they use their own eggs.
4. Those who have had cancer or autoimmune diseases, have undergone chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and have caused irreparable damage to their ovaries.

Compared to IVF the preparation in most cases is a whole lot easier with the use of medication as follows. Clinics will often use the combined contraceptive pill to regulate hormones and help plan treatment dates. Some will then use a down-regulation injection such as Lupron or Prostap to fully suppress the hormones before making a bleed happen and then starting on the estrogen preparation. This is done with either tablets or patches to give the body estrogen and create a freshly thick womb lining (endometrium). Five days prior to the embryo transfer progesterone is started in the form of pessaries or injections to give the second hormone that the body needs to support the womb lining and possible pregnancy. These medications continue through till the pregnancy test and then if we get the positive pregnancy test result, for a further 6-8 weeks.
Whatever is needed we will provide detailed treatment plans to follow through treatment.

​I have been working in the field of fertility treatment for over 30 years and egg donation has been part of that from almost the beginning. In Harley Street first and then as the lead nurse at Bart’s Hospital where I was handed a sheaf of papers and told ‘This is the waiting list for egg donation, sort it out and create a program’ (which I did!), to Spain where there were donors waiting for recipients which I was able to provide using my UK contacts and create a thriving egg donation program again, to now where I help patients decide which clinic or country is best to fulfil their wants and needs in treatment.
Because of all that went before, egg donation has been a passion of mine and is the one treatment we do the greatest proportion of as IVF Treatment Abroad. I have thought for a while that a series of blog posts explaining some of the main decisions that need to be made and we talk through with you on this pathway would be of help for people to see. I am not saying what people should do but providing you with some of the choices that you will need to make along the way.
So, the next 6 blog posts will cover the following:

1. Egg donation, what is it and who is it helpful for?
2. Anonymous or identity released; Information provided on the donor.
3. Fresh or vitrified eggs or embryos.
4. Choosing a clinic: egg guarantee, embryo guarantee, pregnancy guarantee, stats, costs, location.
5. One versus two embryos.
6. Travel in general and travel in these COVID times.
   

I hope you follow us to read all these as they come out.