Are You Considering Donor Egg Sharing Abroad?
People travelling abroad for IVF donor egg treatment usually do so because the law does not allow it in their own country (e.g. Germany), or the waiting list is too long at home, or they would prefer an anonymous donor. Another reason is that the cost of treatment at home is just too expensive for some couples. Their wish for a family means that they have to take a leap of faith and travel abroad for treatment. IVF clinics in some European countries offer much lower prices for IVF treatment and even with travel, the cost can often be much less than treatment at home. Egg sharing is by far the cheaper option and prices can be up to half that of the full price of egg donation treatment.
I have visited a few of the clinics on my website whilst in Spain and the Czech Republic and I noticed that only some offer IVF donor egg sharing. In terms of logistics, it must be difficult to coordinate with people who are travelling from abroad, although there is always the option of freezing surplus eggs from a donor. But many people wish fresh egg cycles with the option of freezing surplus good quality embryos.
Donor Egg Sharing Checklist
I have had a few emails in the past from people who have undertaken donor egg sharing abroad, and based on their information, people considering this should check with the clinic:
- How many recipients will receive eggs from the one donor who is stimulated? It may not just be one other recipient. This information may impact your decision to proceed.
- If there are more than two recipients, you may want to ask about guarantees for the number of eggs you may receive. Remember that not all the eggs will fertilise, and fewer still will make it to blastocyst and freezing stage.
- You may want to find out the pregnancy success rate for people who undergo egg sharing as a treatment.
Throughout the website, I have tried to detail which IVF clinics offer egg sharing as a possibility, but further questions should be asked if this is an option which interests you. Egg sharing can be very successful but as with anything, ensure that you have the full facts before committing.
