Egg donation

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Egg donation is the only way some women with infertility can get pregnant. Carrying out this treatment is forbidden in Germany, which is why those affected have to travel to other countries for it. Read here how egg donation works, what risks it entails and what the legal framework for it is.

What is egg donation?

With egg donation, mature egg cells are removed from a donor. This is then used for artificial insemination: the egg cells are artificially fertilized with the sperm of the father of choice and then implanted in the recipient, who carries the child to term and wants to raise it. The procedure is associated with risks for both sides and is therefore prohibited in Germany, among other things.

There are basically two ways of obtaining egg cells for egg donation:

1. Egg sharing and embryo donation

A woman who has undergone in vitro fertilization (IVF) donates her surplus egg cells when she no longer needs them ("egg sharing"). In principle, it is also possible to release already fertilized eggs, which is called an embryo donation. This is useful, for example, if the desired father does not produce fertile sperm.

2. Voluntary donation

A woman voluntarily undergoes hormonal therapy to stimulate the production and maturation of eggs and to donate the eggs that are subsequently removed. The sole purpose of these is to enable another woman to conceive.

When does egg donation make sense?

If a couple does not want to have children, the cause lies in about 30 to 40 percent of cases with the woman. Sometimes egg donation can help to have the longed-for child. This applies, for example, to women who

• became infertile due to medical treatment (e.g. chemotherapy)
• entered the menopause early (before the age of 40 - premature menopause)
• still want to have children at an advanced age after menopause
• have genetic diseases
• have severe endometriosis
• have made several unsuccessful attempts at artificial insemination with your own egg cells

Egg donation requirements

A woman who wants to donate eggs should be as young as possible and have a medical check-up for infectious diseases. This is to rule out possible transmission of diseases such as HIV or hepatitis. It should also be in good general health and, of course, fertile.

As the recipient of the egg donation, the woman who wishes to have children must have a healthy and functional uterus so that the egg cells can be implanted successfully.

Egg donation procedure

Before egg donation, everyone involved should ideally receive psychological advice so that everyone is clear about the implications of the decision and all the consequences of egg donation. Then the woman who wants to donate her eggs undergoes hormone treatment. This ensures that several egg cells in the ovaries mature at the same time. In a normal female cycle, usually only one egg cell is capable of fertilization.

In the further course of egg donation, the mature egg cells are removed by means of a puncture and fertilized in the test tube with the sperm of the father of choice. If this works, the fertilized egg cells (zygotes) are frozen. The recipient's uterus is now being prepared. This is done through a special hormone therapy that stimulates the build-up and blood flow to the uterine lining. When the recipient's uterus is ready, one or more (thawed) zygotes are inserted.

How many of the fertilized egg cells will be used is decided by the doctor in consultation with the parents-to-be. He also takes into account the medical findings and the age of the mother. In most cases, two zygotes are used in egg donation.

If the implantation of the fertilized egg was successful - i.e. if the recipient has become pregnant - this pregnancy will be accompanied by a gynecologist as usual.

Egg donation risks

The hormone treatment that the donor must undergo can be psychologically and physically stressful. The removal of the egg cells itself is a surgical procedure with the associated risks, such as the necessary anesthesia.

The recipient of the egg donation accepts the consequences that can arise from the implantation of the egg cells. Because in order to increase the chance of a successful pregnancy, several cells are often used at the same time, just as this would also be the case with artificial insemination with one's own egg cells. This increases the likelihood of multiple births.

The mental stress should not be underestimated either. Many women who have received egg donation do not tell their relatives and friends - for fear of being misunderstood. At the latest during the subsequent pregnancy support in Germany, however, the attending gynecologist should be informed about how the pregnancy came about. Because pregnant women after egg donation are classified as high-risk patients in Germany:

Experience shows that the risk of certain forms of high blood pressure (hypertensive pregnancy disease) is significantly increased for pregnant women. Experts therefore recommend close check-ups with the expectant mother.

Legal situation of egg donation

Many countries in the European Union have legalized egg donation carried out by doctors in recent years. However, Germany does not allow them, and neither does embryo donation. This is regulated in the Embryo Protection Act of 1990, which aims to prevent surrogacy and commercial abuse. Because a woman who donates egg cells takes on health risks - in contrast to men who donate their sperm, which is not regulated by law.

In addition, there are ethical concerns as there are two mothers involved in fathering the child - one donating the egg, the other carrying the child and raising it. This could cause the child to have identity problems later, for example.

Because of the ban on egg donation in Germany, many couples who want to have children travel to other countries in the EU or the world where egg donation is legal. Popular clinics are located in the Czech Republic, Spain, Poland, Russia and the USA.

After a successful egg donation abroad, the woman in Germany cannot be prosecuted for it. After the procedure, the pregnant woman will receive normal medical care in Germany. In Germany, legal motherhood is assumed by the woman who gave birth to the child.

Another thing to consider when donating eggs abroad: Depending on the country, the children have no way of looking for their genetic roots later. Because the donation is often anonymous.

Egg donation: chances of success

The egg donors are usually young - a good prerequisite for successful fertilization and development of the fetus. But the constitution and age of the recipient also play an important role. On average, the statistical probability that the egg donation process will be successful is 30 to 45 percent.

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