Ovum donation is one of the aims of IBILAB´s "Néixer Foundation" for Reproduction Research. IBILAB´s Néixer Foundation was founded in Palma de Majorca as a non-profit entity as an operative, ethical and effective response to resolve a problem many couples have due to a variety of women's pathologies that deny them parenthood.

Who receives ovum donations?

Many women delay their pregnancy until later in life for many reasons. This is when the risk of having ovums with chromosome alterations increases, limiting the capacity to develop and implant embryos. Thus, the probability of pregnancy is reduced.

The most common indications include:

- Not having ovaries (congenital, previous surgery)

- Having healthy ovaries but not enough ovums (age, genetics)

-Suffering from early menopause or a premature ovarian failure.

- Having bad quality ovums or embryos.

- Repeated failure of other treatments.

-Having or carrying genetic diseases that can be transmitted to your offspring and which can not be diagnosed with PGD.

What does the ovum receiving procedure consist of?

The selected ovum donator has an ovarian stimulation treatment to obtain several ovums. The day of the donation, the embryologist performs an in vitro fertilisation with the donated ovum's and the couple's semen, which the husband has had to have supplied previously.

The following day the number of embryos is checked. Between 3 and 5 days later the donation of the selected number of embryos is transferred to the receptor women's uterus. The gynaecologist then has prepared the women's endometrium with the proper treatment. If an excessive number of embryos are apt for transfer, they are frozen.

How is the donor selected?

The ovum donors are selected from healthy women between the ages of 18 to 35. During this selection process the clinical history is reviewed thoroughly, a gynaecological exam, blood tests, ultrasound, and tests on the microbiology of the vagina and cervix, karyotype (genetic study) and psychological tests.

The selection of the donor is done by the team applying the technique and must guarantee that the most similar physical and immunological characteristics are found to maximise the compatibility between the women receiving the donation and her family.

The donation is always done anonymously and altruistically, which means that the women receiving the donation may not choose her donor.

Would you like to donate an ovum? Click here (Néixer Foundation)

© 2007 IBILAB Instituto Balear de Infertilidad - Clínica Son Moix Palma de Mallorca - Legal Advice