Egg Donation: IVF with Donor Eggs

At your first appointment, we carry out a full gynaecological assessment, an ultrasound scan and any specific tests required. This appointment helps us identify the most appropriate treatment and answer your medical questions.

It is also an opportunity to learn about the different stages of treatment, review your medical history and discuss your expectations, the options available and the support you can receive throughout the process.

The donor is selected through a protocol that considers medical criteria and relevant characteristics for matching.

At GAIA, our RDRP system helps us select a suitable donor for each patient, taking physical resemblance and medical compatibility criteria into account.

RDRP is an internal donor selection protocol that combines different criteria to guide donor allocation according to each patient’s characteristics. As part of this process, the clinic assesses phenotypic resemblance and genetic and immunological compatibility in line with its medical protocol, with the aim of providing personalised treatment suited to each case.

While the donor undergoes ovarian stimulation, the recipient follows the endometrial preparation plan recommended by the medical team. The aim is to prepare the womb lining for a possible embryo transfer.

Medication and timing are tailored to each patient. The team explains how to take the medication, which monitoring appointments are needed and what to do if questions or side effects arise.

The donated eggs are fertilised using IVF or ICSI, depending on the medical recommendation. The embryos are then cultured in the laboratory so that their development can be assessed.

If development allows, embryos may reach the blastocyst stage, usually around day five or six of culture. Embryo development and the number of embryos obtained vary from one cycle to another.

Embryo transfer involves placing an embryo in the womb using a fine catheter, usually with ultrasound guidance. It is an outpatient procedure and does not usually require an anaesthetic.

The recommended number of embryos to transfer is decided according to the patient’s clinical circumstances and the applicable regulations. Patient safety is the priority, and the aim is to reduce the risk of a multiple pregnancy wherever possible.

A pregnancy test is carried out using a blood test to measure beta-hCG, on the date advised by the medical team.

If the result is positive, ultrasound scans are arranged to check the early progress of the pregnancy. A positive result alone cannot guarantee that the pregnancy will continue to develop.