Donor egg treatment
Donor egg treatment is an option for singles or couples who are unable to conceive using their own eggs. Our experienced healthcare professionals will tailor a treatment plan based on your unique needs.
Donor egg treatment is a good option for patients who cannot produce eggs suitable for fertilisation themselves, neither naturally nor with fertility treatment. The quality of the eggs may be decreased for several reasons, e.g. medical conditions that have affected fertility, age-related decrease in egg quality, surgery on the ovaries, or the risk of passing on genetic conditions.
After an initial consultation and careful consideration of your medical background, our healthcare professionals will customise your donor egg treatment according to your circumstances.
Before you proceed, please be aware that according to Danish law, Cryos Clinic can only treat women up to their 46th birthday.
What is donor egg treatment?
Donor egg treatment is a fertility treatment in which you receive donated eggs to achieve pregnancy. The egg donor is stimulated to produce mature eggs, that are retrieved and then fertilised with either sperm from your partner or a sperm donor (double donation). This fertilisation process can be done using either IVF or ICSI methods.
When fertilised, the eggs will develop in an embryoscope in our laboratory up until they reach the blastocyst stage. The blastocysts are then frozen and stored until the patient, who is going to carry the pregnancy, is stimulated and ready to receive the blastocyst. Finally, the blastocyst will be transferred to her uterus. Only one egg will be transferred at a time. If fertilisation results in more than one blastocyst, the remaining blastocysts can be stored for future use.
A guide to donor egg treatment at Cryos Clinic
Planning and preparing for your donor egg treatment
Before planning your treatment at Cryos Clinic, you must request a free, initial consultation to get started. Then you will be asked to fill out a medical history form and attend the initial consultation with one of our experienced healthcare professionals. Together, we will go through your medical history and your recommended course of treatment.
Donor egg treatment options
We can customize your donor egg treatment according to your preferences and needs. This means that you will need to consider the following when planning your donor egg treatment with us:
- How many embryos would you like to have?
When you order your egg donation treatment, you will be asked to specify how many embryos (blastocysts) you wish to have as a result of the IVF/ICSI procedure. This means that you will only pay for the embryos ready for transfer, not for the individual donor eggs. - Which type of sperm would you like to use?
You can choose to fertilize the donor eggs with sperm from a partner or donor sperm (double donation). Donor sperm can be from Cryos or another sperm bank. - Where would you like to have the embryo transfer?
You can choose to have the embryo transfer at Cryos Clinic, or to have the embryos shipped to a local clinic for transfer. We can also store the embryos at Cryos Clinic for future use.
If you wish to use another clinic for part of the treatment, read more about our embryo creation treatment option here.
The egg donation treatment process
Whether you choose to let Cryos Clinic handle the whole process, or just part of it, the steps in the treatment process will typically be:
1. Choosing an egg donor
2. Ordering of donor egg treatment
3. Egg donation process
4. Fertilisation of donor eggs (using either IVF or ICSI technique)
5. Development of blastocyst in laboratory
6. Freezing and storage of blastocysts
7. Sign up for your treatment according to your treatment plan
8. Planning of embryo transfer incl. ultrasound
9. Embryo transfer
Your appointments will take place at Cryos Clinic - Aarhus, and you are welcome to bring your partner or other relative. Our experienced staff will be there along the way to guide you through the procedure.
If you prefer to limit your travel, you can arrange for ultrasound scans at a clinic closer to home. Please note that ultrasounds performed outside Cryos Clinic will be at your own expense.
You can also have the embryo transfer performed at a clinic closer to your home. Please contact us for more information about this option.
After your donor egg treatment
After having your egg donation treatment, you can return to your everyday life. Two weeks later you must have a blood sample taken at our clinic or your general practitioner to see if you are pregnant.
If you are pregnant, we offer a free, early pregnancy scan at Cryos Clinic - Aarhus about three weeks later (in pregnancy week 7-9). Hopefully, we will be able to detect a pregnancy.
If you do not become pregnant, the treatment can be repeated in your next cycle. Our healthcare professionals will also be able to guide you on other treatment options if the treatment is unsuccessful.
What is the price of treatment with donor eggs?
The cost of donor egg treatment depends on several factors, starting at EUR 3,959 for IVF/ICSI treatment with embryo development for a single embryo. Embryo transfer at Cryos Clinic is available for an additional EUR 1,350.
Learn more about the price of donor egg treatment here.
Which egg donors are available?
At Cryos Clinic, we offer both donor eggs and treatment in one place. Before being accepted, our egg donors undergo thorough physical examinations, genetic screening, and psychological evaluation, ensuring you the best possible starting point for your treatment.
In general, there is no waiting time for treatment with donor eggs. Our egg donors are, however, marked as 'Upon Request', which indicates that the egg donation process will only commence when you have chosen the donor and ordered an egg donation treatment.
Frequently asked questions about egg donation treatment
What is the difference between IVF and ICSI treatment with donor eggs?
IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) involves the natural fertilisation of donor eggs, where the sperm cells are added to the laboratory dish and find their way to the egg themselves, while in ICSI (IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection) the embryologist chooses a sperm cell, and directly injects one single sperm cell into each egg. At Cryos Clinic, our experienced staff will advise you on which type of treatment is recommended for you based on your situation.
What is a blastocyst?
A blastocyst is a stage of embryo development, occurring about five days after fertilisation. Embryos are often preferred for transfer into the uterus at the blastocyst stage due to their higher chances of successful implantation.
What are the legal implications when using an egg donor?
Whether you choose an ID Release or Non-ID Release egg donor, the law ensures that the donor has no legal or moral obligations to the child. According to the Danish Children's Act, the egg donor will never be considered the legal mother of children conceived with her donations.