Publish date: 4 March 2023
Przeczytasz w 12 min
Dr. Włodzimierz Sieg, Deputy Head of the Infertility Treatment Clinic and a specialist in gynecology and obstetrics, explains what egg donation involves, its implications, and which women can decide to donate their eggs.
Egg donation is a form of assistance for infertile couples and women in their quest for parenthood. For many of them, using donated eggs as part of in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures is their only chance of conceiving a child.
The donation program entails the act of giving an egg by a donor to a recipient woman who either lacks her own eggs, has too few of them, or whose eggs cannot be used for fertilization due to genetic reasons. It’s a special gift that provides healing couples with the opportunity to experience pregnancy and the joy of parenthood.
Before delving into the details of how to become an egg donor at INVICTA, it’s important to understand the true nature of egg donation and the benefits it brings to others.
Egg donation is a process in which a woman decides to donate her eggs to help other individuals or couples who cannot conceive a child independently due to infertility or other reproductive disorders. This process requires the careful selection of a donor and the completion of various medical examinations and procedures.
The value of egg donation lies in the opportunity it provides to assist others in achieving their dream of having a child. Every child is a source of great happiness and joy for parents, but unfortunately, not everyone finds it easy to conceive. Therefore, the decision to donate eggs can be the only chance for many people to fulfill their dream of parenthood. Additionally, egg donors at INVICTA undergo thorough and cost-free examinations during the qualification process, gaining comprehensive insights into their health.
These assessments include the Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) test, which evaluates a patient’s ovarian reserve. Genetic and infectious screenings are also conducted.
INVICTA is the clinic that conducts the egg donation program. This process involves the careful qualification of donors who must meet various medical, psychological, and social requirements. However, for those who choose to make this decision, the clinic provides full medical support and financial compensation for going through the donation process.
The egg retrieval procedure is performed under the supervision of an anesthesiologist and does not cause pain or discomfort. Furthermore, INVICTA offers comprehensive examinations for its donors, ensuring that their bodies are in good health and free from any diseases that could affect the quality and safety of a future child. In addition to the medical benefits, egg donation at INVICTA also comes with financial compensation ranging from 4,000 to 8,500 Polish złoty.
It’s worth noting that every woman who decides to donate eggs at INVICTA receives professional psychological support and care, which is essential during such an important and demanding decision-making process. Clinic staff provide donors with information about the donation process, discuss potential side effects, and address any questions that may arise.
All of these factors make egg donation at INVICTA not only an opportunity to improve the quality of other people’s lives but also a chance for personal growth and gaining new experiences. It’s a decision that can bring numerous benefits and positive emotions, as well as the priceless feeling of helping others achieve their dreams of parenthood.
At the clinic, prospective egg donors must successfully pass a qualification process that includes both medical and psychological aspects. The qualification criteria are based on international guidelines and best practices from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), Polish standards published by the Polish Society of Reproductive Medicine (PTMR), as well as European Union directives.
A woman who wishes to donate her egg cells must be between 18 and 32 years old, in good health, with an appropriate body mass index, and free from genetic or infectious diseases. Conditions such as genetic carrier status, neurological and psychological disorders, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and infections with HIV, hepatitis C and B viruses, cytomegalovirus, and syphilis must be ruled out.
To donate egg cells, the donor undergoes a qualification process that includes numerous laboratory tests, medical consultations, and psychological evaluations. These assessments may include blood group testing, morphology, lipid profile, ALT, AST, urine analysis, infectious disease screenings for hepatitis C and B, syphilis, HIV, rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, and chlamydia trachomatis, genetic testing (karyotype from peripheral blood lymphocytes), as well as hormonal evaluations.
The egg donation procedure is a process that allows women to donate their egg cells for use in in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. It is a relatively straightforward but highly precise process that requires strict monitoring and execution by specialized medical personnel. The egg retrieval procedure typically takes place in a hospital or infertility clinic. The donor is administered general anesthesia to minimize discomfort during the procedure.
The egg retrieval procedure is performed by qualified medical personnel, usually with the use of specialized equipment. The procedure, which involves puncturing the ovaries through the vaginal vault and aspirating fluid from the ovarian follicles, typically takes about 10-15 minutes. The collected fluid is immediately transferred to an IVF laboratory, where embryologists isolate the egg cells.
Egg cells retrieved during the egg donation procedure are stored in the INVICTA Reproductive Cell Bank. This specialized facility is responsible for the storage and utilization of reproductive cells. The egg cells are usually frozen and stored for future use.
Egg cell donors must meet several requirements before undergoing the egg donation procedure. They must be healthy, aged between 18 and 32 years old, have an appropriate body mass index, and be free from genetic or infectious diseases.
Egg donation is one of the most important methods of treating infertility. Egg cells donated by individuals can be used for fertilization with the partner’s sperm or donor sperm, and the resulting embryos can be transferred into the recipient’s uterus. This method of infertility treatment enables women to fulfill their dreams of becoming parents.
Egg donors are often students or young mothers who want to share the joy of motherhood with other women. Egg cells are among the most precious gifts a woman can offer because they enable the creation of new life.
Quoting one of our donors:
“Osobiście znam niepłodną parę, która nie może mieć dzieci. Dzięki dawstwu komórek jajowych mogę pomóc właśnie takim osobom i sprawić, że ich życie będzie naprawdę pełne i wyjątkowe”.
Dzięki dawczyniom komórek jajowych, kobiety, które wcześniej zmagały się z depresją lub poczuciem utraty, zyskują nadzieję na realizację swojego marzenia o macierzyństwie i budowę własnej rodziny. To dlatego tak bardzo cenimy gest dawstwa jajeczek i podziwiamy osoby, które decydują się na takie działanie.
The egg cell is an essential component of the reproductive process in women. Hundreds of thousands of egg cells are produced in a woman’s body, but only a small portion of them are released during ovulation. The egg cell is one of the largest cells in the human body and is characterized by a special structure that allows it to combine with a sperm cell and initiate a new life.
Egg cells are produced in a woman’s ovaries, where they are stored until ovulation, the release of the egg from the ovary into the fallopian tube. This process is typically associated with the menstrual cycle and occurs once a month. The egg cell consists of three layers: the cytoplasmic membrane, cytoplasm, and the cell nucleus.
The cytoplasm contains numerous organelles, such as mitochondria, which provide the energy necessary for cell divisions during fertilization. The process of fertilization begins when a sperm cell penetrates the interior of the egg cell. To accomplish this, sperm cells must overcome various obstacles, such as the cervix, fallopian tubes, and protective barriers on the surface of the egg cell. When one of the sperm cells reaches the nucleus of the egg cell, it combines with it, forming a zygote.
During fertilization, the genetic material of the sperm cell and the egg cell combine to create the child’s genotype. The egg cell is rich in genetic material that carries information about genes inherited from the mother, ultimately influencing the appearance and health of the child.
After qualifying, the egg donor undergoes a two-stage procedure. The first is ovarian stimulation, achieved through the use of specific medications, to obtain multiple egg cells. The next step is the “pick-up” procedure, in which the egg cells are harvested. The egg cells collected during the “pick-up” stage can either be fertilized in a fresh cycle or frozen in the Egg Cell Bank for later use.
Embryos resulting from fertilization are transferred to the recipient’s uterus. Subsequently, the recipient is under the care of medical professionals who verify whether the pregnancy with the donated egg cell is progressing properly. Thanks to a carefully thought-out qualification process, any adverse effects related to the donation process are minimized. In a small percentage of cases, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome may occur due to the administration of ovulation-stimulating drugs.
However, patients are closely monitored by specialists who respond if necessary. Psychological consequences of donation are also significant, which is why every woman who wishes to donate her egg cells meets with a psychologist beforehand to discuss any concerns and make an informed decision.
After the egg cell retrieval procedure, the egg cells are either frozen in liquid nitrogen or directly used in what is known as fresh egg cell adoption. The harvested egg cells are stored at the INVICTA Fertility Bank, a reproductive cell bank that maintains the highest standards in medical procedures to maximize the chances of a successful pregnancy.
Through the egg cell donation program at the INVICTA Clinic, thousands of couples across Poland have realized their dreams of parenthood.
