In recent years, due to surgical operations, a stressful lifestyle, genetic reasons, or some hormonal problems, women may enter early menopause. As a result of heavy treatments such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy, or for other reasons, women may completely lose their chance of getting pregnant; for patients who cannot get pregnant even with IVF treatment due to poor egg quality or insufficiency, egg donation is an effective treatment method.
For women who have lost hope of getting pregnant, egg donation can provide a solution regardless of the source of the problem.
The egg donation procedure, also known as egg donation or egg transplantation, involves all the stages applied in IVF treatment. The ovaries of donors are stimulated with medication, the eggs obtained are fertilized with sperm taken from the father-to-be. The fertilized eggs, that is, embryos, are transferred into the uterus of the recipient woman. It is an IVF treatment method that has been applied for nearly 30 years.
In Which Countries Is Egg Donation Applied?
For women who want to have children but cannot conceive naturally in any way, this method has been widely used for a long time. It is also widely used in Muslim countries. Iran, Egypt, and Lebanon are among the Muslim countries that practice egg donation. It is a method permitted in European countries such as Belgium, Spain, the UK, and Greece. It is one of the assisted reproductive treatments that can be applied in many African countries, South and North America, Australia, and some Asian countries.
In Turkey, however, egg donation is a prohibited practice regulated by IVF treatment legislation.
In the TRNC, egg donation was initially allowed under the first IVF regulation, but later, adjustments were made regarding this practice.
Who Is Egg Donation Applied To?
Egg donation is applied to:
Women who have entered early menopause or menopause and have no egg production,
Women with hereditary problems,
Women whose ovaries have been removed due to various diseases,
Women who have undergone heavy treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy,
Women whose ovaries cannot be stimulated with medication,
Couples with hereditary diseases such as hemophilia, Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s chorea that can be passed on to the child,
Couples with repeated failed IVF treatments,
Women who cannot have sufficient ovarian reserve due to age,
Gay couples.
Preparations and Procedures Required for Egg Donation
Donors must have valid identification. Applications of donors who cannot provide reliable information are not accepted.
The most important point in our center is the appropriate donor selection and preparation. Our center has been applying egg donation for many years, aiming for couples to have children safely.
Donors are selected according to ASRM and ESHRE standards.
Psychological tests such as anxiety and depression assessments are performed.
Donors with personality disorders or severe psychological problems are not accepted.
Infectious disease screenings are done in accredited laboratories.
Gynecological examinations and ovarian reserve evaluations are carried out.
Genetic tests are performed; up to 1800 genetic disorders can be screened if requested.
After these tests, a donor certificate is prepared, including physical, medical, and psychological details of the donor.
The recipient couple is informed about suitable donors. If both sides are ready, the donor begins medication on day 2–3 of menstruation. When the eggs reach the desired size and maturity, they are collected, fertilized with the father’s sperm, and the embryos are prepared for transfer.
At no stage do the donor and recipient meet each other. Confidentiality of personal information is essential.
Donors must sign a form declaring that the donation is voluntary. They are informed that they have no rights or responsibilities over the child. All responsibility for the baby belongs to the woman giving birth.
Recipients can learn about donor characteristics (excluding identity).
Donors have the right to withdraw until the egg retrieval process. If eggs do not develop as desired, the process may be canceled. All risks are explained to the donor.
The recipient undergoes gynecological and ultrasound examinations, and the male partner undergoes semen analysis. Both are tested for infectious diseases.
Couples must sign consent forms acknowledging that they understand the procedure, confidentiality, and responsibilities.
All devices used in our treatments are routinely checked by authorized companies. Every patient is treated like family, with the utmost care and support throughout the process.
