Donations
Egg Donation
Egg donation is a process in which typically a young woman donates her eggs to assist another woman (the recipient) in achieving pregnancy. This procedure commonly involves the use of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) technology, where the eggs are fertilized in a laboratory setting.
The need for egg donation can arise for various reasons. Couples facing infertility issues may opt for egg donation when the female partner is unable to conceive with her own eggs due to factors such as egg quality, low viability, or when the chances of a successful pregnancy are extremely low, making IVF with her own eggs impractical or cost-prohibitive.
This situation often occurs, though not exclusively, in cases where the female partner is of advanced reproductive age (typically over 40 years). Egg donation has shown notably high success rates, with pregnancy rates ranging from 60% to 70% per attempt in comparison to other methods.
Sperm Donation
Sperm donation becomes necessary when the male partner in a relationship lacks sperm or has genetically abnormal sperm. This donation can occur through a sperm bank or fertility clinic, and the female partner can undergo artificial insemination or In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
Upon the mutual consent of both partners, they both assume legal parenthood of the child resulting from sperm donation. The legal status of a child conceived through sperm donation is equivalent to that of a child conceived through “natural” fertilization.
In the case of surrogacy, it involves a surrogate carrying a pregnancy on behalf of the intended parents. This becomes essential when the female partner in a relationship either lacks a uterus or has a uterus incapable of sustaining pregnancy. In gestational surrogacy, pregnancy occurs through the transfer of an embryo created via In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to the surrogate mother, who carries the pregnancy on behalf of the intended parents. This can involve the use of the sperm and eggs of the intended couple or donor sperm and eggs.