Treatments Using a Donor

In some situations using donated eggs may be the best chance to have your own baby.

How does it work?

Despite the acute shortage of egg donors in the UK, we hope to match you with donated eggs for your treatment in the shortest time possible – thanks to our innovative donor programmes.

Donated eggs can come from our egg-sharing programme or altruistic donors. Egg-sharing enables women who need IVF treatment themselves to anonymously donate some of their eggs reducing the cost of their own treatment.

Alternatively, we can arrange for someone you know to donate to you.

Is it right for me?

You need donated eggs if:

• You have a premature menopause – this affects 1-2% of women under 40
• Your ovaries have been damaged by chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment for cancer
• You were born without functioning ovaries (for instance, Turner’s syndrome)
• Your ovaries are resistant to stimulation
• You are at high risk of passing on genetic disorders to your offspring
• You developed poorly functioning ovaries as you got older

What next?

The donated eggs are fertilised using your partner’s (or donated) sperm and the resulting embryos are transferred to your uterus. You will have treatment to prepare your uterus for the embryo transfer.

Between day 2 and 5 of your embryo development, the transfer will take place, followed by a pregnancy test. If this is positive, you should attend one of our clinics in Cambridge, Norwich or Wickford about 20 days later for a pregnancy scan.

We highly recommend counselling for donor egg recipients and Bourn Hall has a choice of specialist counsellors available for you.

For more information get in touch.

Treatment with donated sperm may be the best way for you to complete your family.

How does it work?

Despite the national shortage of sperm donors, we run a number of initiatives to support our flourishing sperm bank.

We have a sperm-sharing programme and encourage altruistic donation.  Sperm-sharers who need IVF treatment themselves can reduce the cost of their own treatment by anonymously donating to our sperm bank.

This means that, at Bourn Hall, there is no waiting list for donor sperm. Alternatively, we can arrange for someone you know to donate to you.

Is it right for me?

You may need donated sperm if:

• You have had cancer treatment, a vasectomy, injury, or are not producing your own sperm
• You carry the genes for a known inherited disease, such as haemophilia or Duchenne muscular dystrophy, putting the life of a resulting baby at risk
• You are a single woman or part of a female same-sex couple

What next?

You will have a standard IVF cycle and the donor sperm will be used in the embryology laboratory to fertilise your eggs. Sperm from our bank is rigorously screened and only released for treatment after a qualifying quarantine period.

One or two of the resulting embryos are then transferred to your uterus. Between day 2 and 5 of your embryo development, the transfer will take place, followed by a pregnancy test. If this is positive, you should attend one of our East of England clinics, including those at Cambridge, Norwich and Wickford, about 20 days later for a pregnancy scan.

In some circumstances, such as when both donated eggs and sperm are required for treatment, embryo donation may be the best choice for you.

How does it work?

Our expert team will agree a personal treatment plan with you to help prepare your body for the donated embryo transfer.

We try to match the characteristics of embryo donors as closely as possible with those of the recipients requiring assisted conception.

Embryo donors will have had mandatory counselling before consenting to donation.

Is it right for me?

This course of action may have been suggested because your egg and sperm quality has been compromised, because of previous surgery, cancer treatment, the menopause or genetic disease. In addition, it may be because you carry a hereditary disease.

Counselling for recipients of donor embryos is highly recommended. Bourn Hall has a choice of specialist counsellors available to support you.

What next?

You will be prescribed medication and asked to attend for some monitoring appointments that include ultrasound scans. These help us to decide the optimal timing for the donated embryo transfer.

Following the thawing of donated frozen embryos, one or two can be transferred to your uterus through a narrow catheter passed through your cervix. This is the same method used in any embryo transfer procedure.

You’ll be able to take a pregnancy test about 15 days after embryo transfer. If this is positive, you’ll need to attend one of our East of England clinics, which include Cambridge, Norwich and Wickford, for a pregnancy scan about 20 days later.

Sources of donated embryos

Embryos used for donation come from other patients who have undergone successful fertility treatment and have completed their family. During their treatment, these patients may have had surplus embryos of suitable quality for freezing. Once they meet the necessary donor criteria, they may choose to donate these embryos to help others who are striving to conceive.

Who benefits from donated embryos

Donated embryos provide a valuable opportunity for couples who require both egg and sperm donations. This option can be offered as a pathway to parenthood for those who cannot conceive through traditional methods or with just one type of donation. It is particularly beneficial for couples facing infertility challenges related to both egg and sperm quality or availability.