Egg donation Spain

Egg donation Spain

Understand egg donation step by step.

What is egg donation?

Egg donation is the assisted reproduction treatment where eggs from a donor are fertilised with the sperm from the partner or a donor, in a laboratory.

What are the steps of the process?

Egg donation consists of three main steps:

Synchronisation with the donor
Synchronisation with the donor
Endometrial preparation + gynaecological tests
Endometrial preparation + gynaecological tests
Egg collection + sperm sample<br><i>In Vitro</i> fertilisation + embryo culture
Egg collection + sperm sample
In Vitro fertilisation + embryo culture
Embryo transfer
Embryo transfer

How is the treatment performed?

Find out everything you need to know.

General information

When is egg donation recommended?

Egg donation is recommended in cases where the woman cannot achieve a pregnancy with her own eggs. The most common causes are:

  • Advanced age
  • Low egg quality
  • Low ovarian reserve after repeated In Vitro fertilisation failures
  • Genetic disorders
Which previous tests are necessary?

Performing egg donation requires a series of additional tests:

  • Gynaecological ultrasound to rule out uterine and ovarian diseases.
  • Semen analysis to evaluate the quality of the sample. If sperm quality is very low, it will be necessary to extend the andrological examination with other additional tests.
  • Male karyotype to rule out genetic abnormalities which may affect the embryo.
  • Serologic test to rule out the presence of transmissible infectious diseases.
Can I resume normal life after egg donation?

You can resume normal life throughout the process until the embryo transfer. On this particular day, it is recommended to comparatively rest and, from then on, you should lead a quiet life avoiding significant strain, the same as if you were trying to become pregnant naturally.

There is no problem with travelling after embryo transfer.

How often can a donation be performed and what is the attempt limit?

There is no limit to the number of egg donations that can be performed but it must be acknowledged that 90% of the patients achieve a pregnancy within 3 egg donation cycles.

Unlike In Vitro fertilisation, there is no need to wait to perform another cycle with egg donation, since the uterus is ready to receive embryos again after the period. It is convenient to re-evaluate the case after each cycle which did not achieve a pregnancy, in order to determine whether more tests are necessary.

What are the possible risks linked to the treatment?
The main risk of egg donation is a multiple pregnancy if more than one embryo is transferred. Along with the very good results from the long blastocyst culture, many couples currently decide to transfer a single embryo to avoid a twin pregnancy.

Gynaecological tests

How often do I have to go to the clinic during the treatment?

You will have to go to the clinic twice to perform the treatment. The first time to organize the cycle and to freeze a sperm sample if necessary. The second time to perform the embryo transfer.

During the process, an endometrial ultrasound scan will be performed that can take places at the Clinic or with your usual gynaecologist.

Donor selection

Who are the egg donors?

Egg donors are young women aged between 18 and 35, and in good physical and mental health. They will have to pass a series of tests to become a donor, which include examining their personal and family medical history, a psychological evaluation, general and gynaecological examinations, a blood test to rule out possible infectious diseases and necessary genetic testing.

All our female egg donors must have undergone the strictest selection tests to determine their eligibility as donor.

How can we improve donor selection?

With the aim of offering the highest quality treatments, Barcelona IVF subjects its donors a carrier genetic test to reduce the risk of some severe hereditary diseases.

Once the donor has been selected, we can evaluate the risk of whether the child will have any of these diseases. To that end, the father needs to undergo the carrier genetic test as well. In the event an increased risk is detected, a different, compatible donor will be sought out in whom the risk is low.

How is my egg donor chosen for In Vitro fertilisation?
Egg donor assignment is performed by our specialized medical team, based on the patients’ physical characteristics and their blood groups. This is a task of tremendous responsibility, therefore our team performs each donor assignment considering the individuality of each case.
What information can I have about the egg donor?

In Spain, egg donation is anonymous which protects the identities of both the donor and the patients and their offspring. Nevertheless, it is possible to learn general information about the donor, such as her physical characteristics, blood group and age.

At Barcelona IVF, we also share details on the donor related to her hobbies, personality and the reason why she decided to donate, so that you have all the information available on the donor, always in compliance with the Law and respecting the privacy of all parties involved.

Synchronisation

Why is synchronisation with the donor necessary?

In order for egg donation to be performed, the donor and the patient need to start their cycle at the same time, to ensure that the patient’s uterus is prepared when the embryos are transferred.

This stage lasts for approximately 2 to 3 weeks and is very important in order to have the highest chances of success in the treatment.

Endometrial preparation

What is the endometrium?
The endometrium is the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus, the organ within which pregnancy takes place. To achieve a pregnancy, the endometrium must be prepared to receive the embryos for them to implant correctly.
How do I prepare my endometrium for egg donation?

The endometrium is prepared to receive embryos through alternate hormone therapy that imitates the woman’s natural cycle.

  • We start with oestrogen, checking the endometrial development with a vaginal ultrasound.
  • Once the eggs are collected from the donor, progesterone will be added to the therapy so that the endometrium is receptive on the day of the embryo transfer and to maximise the chances for pregnancy.

Embryo collection and transfer

How are the embryos collected?
The embryos are collected by performing In Vitro fertilisation on the donor’s eggs with the partner’s sperm or sperm donor. These embryos are maintained in culture in the laboratory for 5 days until they reach the blastocyst stage.
How are the embryos transferred?
Embryo transfer is a simple procedure which does not require a hospital admission or anaesthesia. A catheter is inserted into the cervical canal to place the embryos inside the uterus. Usually 1-2 embryos are transferred, although the current trend is to transfer a single embryo in order to reduce the risk of a twin pregnancy.
What happens to the embryos that are not transferred?
If there are still some good quality embryos after embryo transfer, they will be frozen.
Can I do something to improve my chances for pregnancy after the transfer?
It is very common to wonder what you can do after the transfer to encourage a pregnancy. There is nothing else you can do to increase the chances for a pregnancy, apart from waiting for the embryos to implant correctly and resume a normal and relaxed lifestyle.

Egg donation at Barcelona IVF

Why perform an egg donation treatment at Barcelona IVF?

At Barcelona IVF, we guarantee you:

  • The highest quality in selecting our donors: we apply the strictest selection tests to ensure the greatest safety in this process.
  • Best results: at Barcelona IVF, we guarantee that the recipient will receive at least 8 mature eggs from the donor. Along with the embryo blastocyst culture, this allows us to achieve the best results.
  • Genetics Matching with the egg donor: it allows us to reduce the risk that the unborn child will suffer from more than 250 known genetic diseases.

Real reviews from our patients

4.5 · 555 reviews on Google
★★★★★

Fantastic clinic! Thank you to Dr. Sera and our contacts Samantha and Silvia for their work, attentiveness, and availability. They helped us realize our dream of having a child. Despite the difficulties, we always kept…

Read full review Translated from original: French
Helsy Figasy Google review
★★★★★

Hello to the entire IVF team! Best wishes for 2024. I don't know where to begin… You have changed our lives so much and made our dearest dream come true!!! The one we had almost given up hope for and were starting to…

Read full review Translated from original: French
Delphine Saint Leger Google review
★★★★★

First phone appointment at the end of August 2022…transfer of a beautiful embryo for Christmas thanks to egg donation, and at the end of August 2023 I held my baby in my arms for the first time!! 😍🥰 More than 10 years…

Read full review Translated from original: French
Kitty Kitty Google review
★★★★★

We found a clinic with a personal touch, where the patient is the focus of attention. From beginning to end, everything was perfect. The medical team was attentive and very responsive. We used egg donation, which worked…

Read full review Translated from original: French
Lucile Bal Google review
★★★★★

As a donor, it was a very smooth experience. The care from the very beginning until the day of the donation was excellent. The staff and doctors were very kind, and the procedure and recovery were completely painless. I…

Read full review Translated from original: Spanish
Natalia Giraldo Diaz Google review
★★★★★

My name is Maicet, and I've been a donor at the clinic for three years now. First, I want to share my experience at the clinic for all the young women who want to become donors and who might have some fears about taking…

Read full review Translated from original: Spanish
Maricet Fernandez Google review
★★★★★

I highly recommend this clinic for the warmth, friendliness, professionalism, and thoroughness that everyone conveys... absolutely everyone!! From the first phone conversation to the subsequent one via Skype, and…

Read full review Translated from original: Italian
Valentina Paradiso Google review
★★★★★

Follow-up for egg donation. Small, very clean, human-sized clinic, very well-equipped. Ultra-fast waiting time. Very attentive, patient, professional staff, flawlessly responsive, someone we can rely on. We recommend…

Read full review Translated from original: French
Tanya Phan Google review
★★★★★

Exactly a year ago, I turned to the IVF clinic because I was diagnosed with premature menopause (even though I'm not yet 40), and to avoid wasting time, my partner and I immediately decided to try egg donation. Within a…

Read full review Translated from original: Italian
Chia 11 Google review
★★★★★

We are delighted to recommend the IVF clinic in Barcelona. A year ago, we underwent an embryo transfer there following an egg donation. On March 12, 2021, the transfer of two blastocysts took place. Fifteen days later…

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sabrina bentivegna Google review
★★★★★

What an incredible experience for us! A clinic that completely met our expectations... Competent staff and, above all, a caring clinic that was responsive to our anxieties. We were lucky; our first IVF with donor eggs…

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Celine Hony Google review
★★★★★

Last year, we were followed by the Barcelona IVF clinic in our journey to become parents after years of struggling in France due to my severe endometriosis and years of unsuccessful IVF treatments. Dr. Colodron gave us…

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Elsa B Google review

Positive results

The rates for pregnancy with egg donation do not depend on the patient’s age. On this graph you will find the rates for pregnancy after the transfer of fresh and frozen embryos from the same cycle.

What does egg donation treatment include?

Egg donation fertility treatment includes:

  • Medical appointments
  • Transfer
  • Ultrasound scans during the cycle
  • ICSI
  • B-hCG
  • Hormone tests during the cycle
  • Embryo culture
  • Guarantees: Minimum 2 blastocysts
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