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We have an active egg sharing program. Egg sharing is an arrangement that
enables selected groups of infertile patients who cannot afford the cost of
IVF treatment, to receive subsidised IVF treatment in return for
donating a proportion of their eggs to matching paying recipients. Potential
donors with known or suspected poor ovarian response or poor egg quality are
excluded. Consent of both partners is strictly taken. We try and match the
donor and recipient`s ethnic background and physical characteristics as closely
as possible. However, the recipient couple should understand that no matching
can be guaranteed. We observe strict rules of confidentiality and anonymity for
the donor and recipient.
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The infertile woman undergoes IVF treatment. While the donor is going through
her IVF treatment, the recipient will have her menstrual cycle synchronized
with that of the donor. The recipient will be given a hormone replacement
treatment to prepare her endometrium (lining of the womb) for implantation. She
may or may not be given GnRh agonist (depends on whether or not she is
menstruating regularly). The hormone replacement consists of estradiol pills
and later progesterone is also added in the form of injections, vaginal
tablets or gel.
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After the eggs are collected they are shared between the infertile couple and
the egg recipient couple. The minimum number of eggs for sharing is usually
8-10. The donated eggs will be inseminated with sperm from the recipient's
woman partner while the other eggs will be inseminated with sperm from the
infertile woman' partner. Each couple will have their own embryos transferred.
The recipient needs to continue taking her estradiol pills and progesterone
until a pregnancy test is performed about two weeks after embryo transfer. In
the happy event that the pregnancy test is positive these will be continued
till she completes her 3rd month of pregnancy when the placenta takes over the
hormonal support.
Occasionally, the donor treatment cycle does not go as smoothly as planned. For
example, few eggs may be collected that are not enough to split. Sometimes, the
treatment cycle has to be abandoned because of poor follicular development or
ovarian hyperstimulation.
Many publications have confirmed that the act of egg sharing does not compromise
the success rate of the donor.
Pregnancy and live birth rates following egg donation are significantly higher
compared to that achieved after IVF using the woman`s own eggs.
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