Egg Donor Program

IVF egg donation at Dallas IVF can be accomplished using a known/directed or anonymous egg donor. Known egg donors can include relations to the recipient, such as a younger sister or a cousin. Directed donors can also include friends. If a woman does not have a known egg donor or prefers to maintain complete anonymity with the donor, she can choose a donor through an agency. Dallas IVF works with several large donor agencies in the region. At Dallas IVF, we have maintained a 70-80% pregnancy rate over the last decade with our egg donor program.

Indications for use of donor eggs in couples include:

• Premature ovarian failure – Entering menopause prior to age 40
• Surgically or chemically induced menopause – Ovaries have been surgically removed or the woman has entered into early menopause secondary to chemotherapy or radiation treatments for cancer.
• Natural menopause
• Multiple unsuccessful IVF cycles – Lack of success conceiving despite multiple IVF cycles using the patient’s own eggs. This is often explained by poor egg quality.
• Age related decline in fertility or diminished ovarian reserve – Women who have not entered into menopause but are no longer able to conceive with their own eggs. This group consists of women who do not respond well to fertility drugs.
• Women who are carriers of genetic diseases. These are women who have balanced translocations or genetic diseases that do not wish to pass their diseases on to their offspring and do not want to do PGD through IVF using their own eggs.

Irrespective of whether a couple chooses a known or anonymous egg donor, the donor needs to meet the same screening criteria. The egg donor will automatically be excluded if they smoke cigarettes, have irregular menstrual cycles, are obese, have a history of a sexually transmitted or infectious disease, or any medical problem in their family that indicates a significant chance of passing the disease on to the offspring.

The screening process for the egg donor includes:

• Completing a questionnaire
• Medical history and screening for inheritable diseases
• Psychological exam
• Physical examination
• Infectious diseases screening according to FDA guidelines
• Toxicology screening