Overview
Egg donation is a popular concept around the world, a treatment that helps millions of couples achieve their goals of having a child. Egg donors are subject to review and approval by egg donation clinics and facilities. An egg donor can be specifically requested by a family member or friend, or chosen from a bank of donors. In many cases, the prospective parents will interview the donor before the actual selection process.

A donor usually provides a dozen eggs, called oocytes or ova to an egg donor facility or assisted reproduction or biomedical facility or clinic. The entire process of egg donation, followed by in vitro fertilization of the fertilized egg with the sperm of the male partner is known as Assisted Reproductive Technology or ART.

Egg donation recipients receive egg donations that have been genetically matched, screened for disease and then undergo an egg retrieval and fertilization process. After that, the embryo/s are transferred from a laboratory setting and implanted in the prospective mother's uterus.

Who Benefits from Egg Donor Treatments?
A woman who can't ovulate or a woman whose eggs are of poor quality may benefit from an egg donor. The types of egg donor programs differ around the world, as to procedures and technologies, which are advancing at a rapid rate.

Egg Donation IVF Procedures
Egg donation requires in-vitro fertilization. This means that the eggs are fertilized (most commonly by the husband/boyfriend's sperm) and then grown in a laboratory setting. The female is then inseminated with the donated egg and the sperm of her male partner, producing a child who is genetically related to the male partner and the surrogate or egg donor.

Egg donors are commonly used between prospective parents where the woman cannot develop adequate eggs for successful fertilization. In general, surrogates should be under 38 years old, and not smoke, use drugs, drink alcohol, or have any history of medical disorders or conditions that may endanger optimal health of the fetus. In most egg donor facilities, psychological examinations or evaluations are also conducted to determine optimal egg donors and recipients.

How Much Does IVF Surrogacy Cost?
The cost of receiving an egg donation depends on location and type of surrogacy attempted. Some egg donations are privately arranged if they're legal in the state or country of origin. The cost of in-vitro fertilization of the donor egg may depend on the number of attempts for successful fertilization. The average cost of one cycle of in vitro fertilization in the United States may range over $10,000, while the same procedures in Central Europe and may cost around $4,000, and facilities in Thailand offering similar procedures for about $4,500.

Choosing a Fertility Clinic
Surrogacy treatments typically involve experts at an infertility clinic. Research prospective clinics and determine how many successful procedures have taken place there. While the success rate is not the only positive indication, it should at least be above the national average. Research clinics offer a variety of infertility procedures and knowledge of the newest technologies. All physicians should be registered and belong to domestic fertility or infertility treatment organizations or associations in their country of origin, or hold international licensing documents.