Egg and Sperm Donation IVF

Nowadays, many singles and couples exhausted by the multiple failures of IVF using their own oocytes and sperm are starting Double Donation IVF cycles. This fertility treatment option eliminates the usage of the intended mother’s eggs and the intended father’s sperm by creating the embryos with the gametes provided by the donors. Unlike classic Egg Donation IVF, where the intended father has to collect his sperm or undergo an invasive surgical/non–surgical sperm retrieval, or classic Sperm Donation IVF, where the intended mother has to follow the stimulation protocol ending with a minimal invasive egg retrieval surgery, Double Donation IVF makes it possible to have an IVF embryo even being unable to provide own genetic material. Notably, each embryo in the cohort generated using donated gametes will consist of the donor’s genetic makeup. However, there is still a brilliant opportunity to find a donor with the most suitable phenotype, genotype, and physical features of the prospective parents. It is also possible to “hire” a premium egg donor who will travel to donate her eggs to any destination. The same thing goes for hiring a premium sperm donor, who will fly to any country to deposit his sperm sample.

Double Donation IVF: Guarantees & Success Rates

One of the main reasons why Duo Donation IVF is wanted is its high success rates. The accumulative positive pregnancy rate over one Double Donation IVF cycle is around 82%, two cycles is around 88%, and over three cycles is around 94% respectively. The positive pregnancy rate (including frozen embryo transfers) starts at 90% and goes up. Fresh embryo donation cycles (Double Donation IVF using fresh donor’s eggs and fresh/frozen donor’s sperm) 94% of successful implantation. 75% of all embryos created within one cycle are reaching the blastocyst stage. 

It is essential to note that most of these programs are preconfigured with at least one guarantee. It can be a minimum number of eggs (between 6 and 10 good–quality eggs are guaranteed within one egg donation cycle), minimum number of blastocysts (a minimum of 8 and an average of 10 per cycle), viable pregnancy guarantees (unlimited frozen embryo transfer backups), Live Birth Guarantees (unlimited initiation of the new cycle in case if there is no embryo left for a frozen transfer backup), and the other guarantees.

Egg and Sperm Donation Programs

Like a standard IVF, Double Gamete Donation IVF can be a single–cycle or multi–cycle. Some clinics offer bundles with only essential services, while others may tailor any bundle according to the intended parents’ needs. A few clinics have an upgrading option when it is possible to change the program and switch to a bespoke premium multi–cycle bundle without waiting for the only attempt of transferring an embryo or only one egg donation cycle with a desired egg donor will be completed. A few clinics can start a DuoStim with two egg retrievals within one cycle, and this is excellent news for prospective parents to get more eggs from the donor they like. 

In all cases, before starting a Duo Donation IVF, running your own research may be a magic thing that will save time, money, and nerves. The intended parents who completed Double Donation IVF say that they compared different clinics within their states and abroad, reviewed their programs, introduced their unique cases to fertility clinics they selected, interviewed the case managers and fertility experts, discussed which services are included for standard, premium and deluxe bundles, dived into legal nuances, find out about financing options they have, before signing the papers and paying for the program. Following these steps was not so easy and took some time, but it was worth it.

What is Double Donation IVF?

Duo Donation IVF (also known as Double Donation IVF, IVF with Double Donation, and Double Gamete Donation) is a type of fertility treatment that involves both egg donation and sperm donation, either fresh cycle or using vitrified oocytes and cryopreserved sperm samples to create the embryos in the IVF laboratory. Then, based on recommendations, the embryos are transferred into the uterus of a prospective mother as soon as they reach Day 3 (Cleavage stage embryo transfer) or Day 5 (Blastocyst stage transfer) of their development for further gestation.

Double donation IVF is one of the most sophisticated techniques that gives brilliant results. The reasons for this include exhaustive donor selection processes performed by fertility clinics, during which they rule out the transmission of over 600–3000 genetic disorders. Donors also undergo psychological, general, and reproductive health (fertility and genetics) assessments. In addition to the fact that donors are young, this significantly reduces the risk of pregnancy loss, malformations, and genetic abnormalities.

Who is eligible for egg and sperm donation?

• Couples with severe dual-factor infertility: Both prospective mother and prospective father are unable to conceive with their own gametes because of issues such as low ovarian reserve, which resulted in ovulatory dysfunction (an egg cannot be released each month) or affected sperm production which resulted in azoospermia (an absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate).
• Cases where both partners carry the risk of transmitting genetic or hereditary diseases to help avoid passing on such conditions.
• Single women with diminished ovarian reserve, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), advanced maternal age, empty follicle syndrome (EFS), poor egg quality, or other fertility issues.
• Female couples where neither partner can provide their own eggs to be used in IVF/ICSI.

The other reasons to turn to Duo Donation IVF are complications developed after previous IVF (using own oocytes or the donor’s oocytes fertilized with the partner’s sperm), including gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, placental abnormalities, postpartum hemorrhage, preterm delivery and perinatal death.

IVF with donated eggs and sperm: is it safe?

Prioritizing Phenotypic Resemblances in Donor Selection for Duo Donation IVF

Almost all fertility specialists consider resemblances in phenotype, aiming to maximize the similarity between the physical features of the donors and the recipient mother. Key attributes such as complexion, face shape, skin, and hair characteristics, including color and type, eye color and shape, height, weight, blood group, and Rh factor, are all given thorough attention.

Comprehensive Assessment for Donor Approval: Fertility Clinic Screening Process

Prior to the donor’s approval for donation, fertility clinics run an extensive screening process that encompasses various facets of assessment. This comprehensive evaluation includes not only the donor’s background and overall health but also delves into several additional crucial aspects. These encompass an in–depth analysis of the donor’s family medical history, reproductive health status, genetic screening to identify potential hereditary factors, and psychological screening to ensure the donor’s mental well–being and suitability for the donation process. This thorough and multifaceted approach to screening guarantees the highest standards of donor selection, further ensuring the safety and compatibility of the donation process.

The Donors’ Eligibility and Criteria

The criteria to become an egg or sperm donor vary slightly from clinic to clinic and from agency to agency. However, all of the basic egg or sperm donation requirements center around ensuring that the donors are physically and mentally healthy to donate their genetic material. When clinics and agencies are evaluating applications from prospective donors, the candidates they choose must be between 18 and 35 years old, physically healthy, have no current use of psychoactive drugs, have no family history of inheritable genetic disorders, and have no severe chronic diseases that may interfere with the donation process. 

To donate the eggs, the prospective donor must be fit, healthy, aged between 18 and 35 years, have regular, monthly menstrual periods, and have two normal functional ovaries. Some fertility clinics, egg donation agencies, and surrogacy agencies limit the maximum donor’s age to 28, 29, or 30, adding that 29 and 30 is only for experienced egg donors, and 28 years old is the maximum age for first–time egg donors. 

While the donor is in her 20s, her body is at its reproductive prime. 20–Somethings are likely to respond well and efficiently to fertility medications and produce high quality and high number of eggs, offering a waiting single mother or couple the best chance of success. It is essential to add that in 89% of cases, the donor under 30 goes along with a Single Stim protocol and one egg retrieval. 

To donate the sperm, the potential donor has to be healthy, fit, aged between 18 and 35, with 40 being the maximum age to apply. He shouldn’t have any issues affecting sperm production, spermatogenesis, sperm viability, sperm morphology, and sperm DNA. 

Ideally, the donor must have good physical and mental health, normal sperm concentration, normal sperm morphology, normal sperm motility, and the other specifications related to sperm; plus, no history of inherited diseases, cancer, or severe chronic diseases.

Before donating the eggs or sperm, each donor undergoes medical screening inclusive of personal and medical background, fertility tests, lab work, blood work, genetic tests (female: Karyotyping, genetic test of ovarian reserve, genetic compatibility test (GCT), Fragile X test; male: Karyotyping, Cystic fibrosis test, male genetic fertility test, Y chromosome microdeletions, etc.), and other procedures. 

The journey toward Double Donation IVF commences with these stringent donor eligibility criteria, ensuring that the foundational genetic contributions are poised to maximize the potential for success.

Genetic Compatibility Test (GCT) in Gamete Donation

All fertility clinics consider the GCT test an essential part of being aware of any abnormality that may affect a future child, so they carry out this test as part of the standard genetic screening protocol for all donors. GCT test is carried out for each donor wishing to donate her eggs or his sperm. Notably, the GCT is done at no extra expense to prospective parents, who will ultimately receive the gametes. To achieve optimal accuracy and efficacy, both gamete providers must undergo testing to identify abnormalities within the same gene.

Genetic Compatibility Test (GCT), also known as Carrier Genetic Test (CGT)®, Carrier DNA Insight®, Carrier Map® or Recombine Carrier Map®, is a test to identify mutations in the genes responsible for autosomal recessive and X–X-linked disorders. This test is essential in donor screening to avoid transmitting hereditary diseases. Almost all Genetic Compatibility Tests (GCT) are based on Next–Generation DNA Sequencing technology, enabling screening for 600+ or 3,000+ disorders and mapping entire genomes. 

The analysis of over 600 or 3,000 prevalent genetic diseases, including conditions like cystic fibrosis, various forms of paralysis, diabetes, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy, and recurring disorders like deafness, requires nothing more than a blood sample. By harnessing the capabilities of this extensive panel of DNA sequencing, it becomes possible to delve into the presence of genes linked to the most severe autosomal recessive diseases. This examination can be conducted with either the 600–disease or the 3,000–disease testing modality, thereby offering a comprehensive approach to identifying potential genetic health concerns.

Embracing Exclusivity: Maximizing Potential in Double Donation IVF

Either using a SingleStim protocol for one round of ovarian stimulation and one egg retrieval or a DuoStim protocol for two rounds of ovarian stimulation and two egg retrievals in the same menstrual cycle — all the eggs generated by the donor are used in IVF. The clinics ensure a minimum of 8 mature oocytes and an average of 10. Therefore, it commonly results in having several top–quality embryos with good genetic makeup and high implantation potency, which will likely result in gestation just within one egg donation.

Maximizing Pregnancy Success with Blastocyst Embryo Transfer

All double donation transfers are performed with an embryo that has reached the blastocyst stage. A blastocyst is a Day 5 ball–shaped embryo with a sophisticated and complex cell structure consisting of approximately 200 cells. The embryos that reach the blastocyst stage have an optimum quality and a greater capacity to implant and result in a viable pregnancy, as they have overcome possible embryonic arrest, mosaicism, and other potential development issues that usually occur in the early stages.

Some clinics offer the Duo Donation bundles with frozen embryo transfer backup, which cover not only Duo Donation IVF but also embryo vitrification and storage with a following devitrification and transfer, committing to give the prospective mothers and couples an additional frozen embryo transfer at no additional cost.

Streamlining Fertility Services: In–House Cryopreserved Donor Eggs and Sperm

Some clinics offer the convenience of cryopreserved donor eggs and sperm through their own donor banks, which are accompanied by an extensive donor database containing detailed profiles and medical histories of the donors. This provision of vitrified donor eggs and sperm allows for the swift commencement of duo donation cycles, utilizing cryopreserved gametes or the initiation of fresh donation cycles. This comprehensive approach empowers fertility professionals to deliver seamless, in–house services for both donor eggs and donor sperm, eliminating the need for waiting lists, external egg donation agencies, and sperm and egg banks.

Duration of Double Donation Cycle

Double donation IVF cycle using fresh donor’s eggs and fresh or frozen donor’s sperm takes up to 2 months to be completed. Within this timeframe, a fertility clinic selects and screens the egg donor, synchronizes the donor’s cycle and the prospective mother’s cycle, and prepares the ovarian stimulation cycle. While the donor is on her stimulation cycle, the future mother is having her endometrium preparation for the embryo transfer. Following oocyte retrieval, the embryologists perform in vitro fertilization using fresh or devitrified donor sperm. When the embryos reach the blastocyst stage, they are transferred to the prospective mother, termed as “recipient,” and unused IVF embryos undergo vitrification to get stored for future pregnancies. After this timeframe, there are 8 to 10 days of waiting time and a pregnancy test. 

When the donor’s frozen oocytes and the donor’s frozen or fresh sperm are used to create an embryo, waiting for an embryo transfer timeline can be shorter and may take 1.5 months. During this time, the fertility specialists select the egg donor or work on the transportation of the vitrified eggs from abroad. As soon as they find a suitable egg donor, or in parallel, they are searching for a sperm donor. At the same time, the intended mother starts her endometrial preparation protocol for embryo transfer. If fresh sperm donation is required, the donor undergoes screening, his sperm sample is tested, and after that, he provides the sample to be used in ICSI. Before fertilization, the donated oocytes are devitrified; then, they are mixed with the donor’s sperm (IVF) or injected by the sperm (ICSI, IMSI, PICSI) and cultured to the blastocyst stage. The embryo transfer is scheduled as soon as the embryologists have the quality blastocysts.

Egg and Sperm Donation Cycle Explained

Initial Consultation and Fertility Diagnosis

Before starting treatment, usually, there is one initial consultation, which can be followed by a new consultation to go deeper into the case and a series of fertility diagnostic procedures and tests. During the first visit, singles and couples wishing to undergo Duo Donation IVF meet up with their fertility consultant to discuss their situation, preferences, needs, options, questions, possible alternatives, and other aspects of the treatment.

Blueprinting of the Treatment Protocol and Cycle Synchronization 

With a clear understanding of the intended mother’s or couple’s needs, the next step involves designing a tailored treatment protocol. Simultaneously, fertility specialists explore possible alternatives, backups, and add–ons that could be helpful in case of unforeseen incidents or challenges. This phase also involves meticulous cycle synchronization, ensuring the prospective mother’s cycle aligns seamlessly with the egg donor’s cycle to maximize the chances of successful embryo implantation.

Selection of Egg Donor

An essential part of the process is selecting a suitable egg donor. Factors such as physical characteristics, medical history, and genetic background are carefully considered in this decision–making process. Options for donors include known donors (relatives or friends), open ID donors (where permissible by law), or anonymous donors recruited through fertility clinics or egg donation agencies.

Selection of Sperm Donor

Similarly, the selection process extends to the sperm donor. Criteria like physical characteristics, medical history, and genetic background guide the choice of a suitable sperm donor. Options here encompass known donors (relatives or friends) as well as anonymous donors available through sperm banks or fertility clinics.

Fertilization and Embryo Development

The retrieved donor’s eggs are fertilized in the laboratory, either through IVF or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). The ensuing embryos are carefully cultured, nurtured, and monitored as they progress to the blastocyst stage.

Embryo Selection and Transfer 

The next step involves selecting high–quality embryos for transfer. Some clinics follow a Single Elective embryo transfer (eSET) protocol, according to which the best embryo is taken from the embryonic cohort for completing the cycle. The other clinics may transfer two or more embryos following the Assisted Reproduction Guidelines in their countries. The remaining healthy, non–mosaic and viable embryos with a potency to survive can be vitrified for future use in frozen embryo transfer cycles.

Pregnancy Tests and Follow Up Visits

If implantation is successful, the intended mother becomes pregnant. Routinely, two pregnancy tests (urine and blood) and a pregnancy ultrasound scan are done to confirm a viable pregnancy. The pregnancy is considered normal if the ultrasound scan detects the intrauterine pregnancy (including a gestational sac and an embryo with heart activity). But if the ultrasound scan does not detect a gestational sac and embryonic heart activity, although the pregnancy tests are positive — the next ultrasound scan is scheduled in several days. In less desirable cases, the ultrasound scan may show either ectopic pregnancy (when an embryo grows outside of the uterus, for example, in the fallopian tube), especially in patients with preexisting tubal pathology, or a miscarriage.

Conclusive Words 

In conclusion, Duo Donation IVF represents a remarkable advancement in fertility treatment, offering hope to singles and couples who have faced the challenges of infertility. This innovative option not only boasts impressive success rates but also addresses a myriad of complex reproductive issues, from dual–factor infertility to genetic concerns. Through comprehensive donor selection processes, rigorous genetic compatibility testing, and meticulous embryo cultivation, Duo Donation IVF maximizes the potential for success while embracing the diversity of family–building journeys. As individuals and couples embark on this transformative path, they find not only medical expertise but also the promise of creating families that are united not just by genetics but by shared dreams and enduring love.