THE BASICS OF OOCYTE DONATION (EGG DONATION)

Oocyte donation, or egg donation, is an excellent treatment for infertility due to poor egg quality.

Women in their late 30s and 40s are more prone to experience decreased egg quality making it difficult to conceive.

Who should consider using an egg donor?

A woman might consider egg donation if:

• The body has not responded to fertility medication, and no viable eggs are formed with the highest doses of fertility medications

• Menopause has occurred
• Several cycles of IVF have been conducted with no success and the fertility doctor has determined there is a problem with egg quality.
• Absence of the ovaries due to prior surgery.
• A woman who has undergone chemotherapy and  lost the ability to produce viable eggs.
• A woman who has a genetic problem that she does not want to pass on to her children

When considering an egg donor the fertility specialist works closely with the patient, utilizing the available options for obtaining donor eggs.  Known egg donors (friends or family), anonymous donors, The Rocky Mountain Fertility Egg Bank and donor egg agencies are all options when selecting an egg donor. The egg donors are careful screened and meet all of the requirements mandated by the fertility clinic.  All egg donor candidates must complete and pass a medical history, infectious disease screen and genetic evaluation.

If you have questions concerning egg donation, your Denver fertility specialist will be able to answer them for you.  Fertility specialists are experts in the field of egg donation, fertility and emotional concerns that may be experienced throughout the process.

Shared Donor Egg Options

There are typically three options available within a shared donor egg program.

• The 1:1 – unshared program is when the recipient keeps all of the eggs from the donor.
• The 1:2 – shared option is when the individual shares eggs with another individual
• The 1:3 – shared option is when the patient shares the eggs with a pair of others

The egg donors are careful screened and meet all of the requirements mandated by the fertility clinic.  All egg donor candidates must complete and pass a medical history and genetic evaluation.

Rocky Mountain Fertility Center is a comprehensive Colorado fertility clinic that offers impressive success rates and the top Fertility doctor in Colorado, Dr. Deborah Smith. In fact, Dr. Smith was recently voted as the top fertility specialist in the state by Health Tap. She has also received the Patient’s Choice Award 3 years in a row!