Donor Eggs

There are several reasons why individuals and couples may benefit from donor eggs:

Decreased Egg Number - Decreased egg number (or diminished ovarian reserve) can occur as a result of advancing ovarian age, premature ovarian insufficiency, lifestyle factors such as smoking, and certain medical conditions and treatments such as ovarian surgery or chemotherapy.

Decreased Egg Quality - Decreased egg quality can occur for the same reasons as low egg number. Previous unsuccessful IVF cycles may also be an indication of decreased egg quality and a reason to consider the use of donor eggs.

Individuals/Couples without ovaries - Individuals without ovaries can combine their own sperm or donor sperm with donor eggs to create embryos.

Patients with inherited genetic conditions - Patients with ovaries who have certain inherited genetic conditions may wish to use an egg donor to reduce the risk to their offspring.

The first step of the process is donor selection. There are two ways to choose a donor:

Anonymous Donor - Donor eggs are most commonly purchased from an anonymous donor through a donor egg bank that adheres to the stringent standards of Health Canada. Anonymous donors can be selected according to a number of criteria such as physical attributes, ethnicity, educational background and more. Our care team can help you navigate the various donor egg resources, simplifying your path to pregnancy.

Known (Directed) Donor - A known or directed donor can be used as a source of eggs after ensuring that the donor and sample adhere to Health Canada guidelines. This option involves the known donor undergoing an IVF cycle to access the eggs, typically at the cost of the recipient. 

The first step of the process is donor selection. There are two ways to choose a donor:

Anonymous Donor - Once an anonymous egg donor is selected, the eggs can be quickly and safely shipped to Pollin where they are thawed and fertilized with sperm from the intended parent or a donor to create embryos. Viable embryos can then be genetically tested and frozen, frozen without genetic testing, or transferred directly to the uterus of the intended parent or surrogate.

Known (Directed) Donor - Once a known egg donor is selected, the donor is referred to Pollin for a comprehensive assessment to determine their eligibility for egg donation. This assessment focuses on the potential donor’s ovarian reserve, pelvic anatomy, and infectious disease and genetic screening according to Health Canada guidelines. The donor then undergoes legal and psychological counselling before signing consent documents. Once these important steps are complete, the known donor can undergo an IVF cycle, typically at the cost of the recipient, in which hormonal medications are used to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs which are then retrieved once they are mature. The eggs are then injected with the sperm of the intended parent or a donor to create embryos. Viable embryos can then be genetically tested and frozen, frozen without genetic testing, or transferred directly to the uterus of the intended parent or surrogate. 

Donor eggs are associated with high rates of pregnancy, regardless of the age of the intended parent, as egg donors are typically patients with high egg quantity and quality. Egg quantity and quality are important contributors to pregnancy, miscarriage and live birth rates.