Information For Egg Donors: Altruistic Donation - Altruistic Donor - Fertility Exeter
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Altruistic Donor
Information
For Egg
Donors:
Altruistic
Donation
What is egg donation? usual; or because they have had surgery,
chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancerous
Egg donation is a type of in-vitro fertilisation conditions; or because they have a genetic
(IVF) treatment in which eggs are collected condition.
from one woman (the donor), fertilised with
another woman’s (the recipient) partner or • If you are donating your eggs,
donor sperm and the embryo or embryos that
you must be doing so only
are created are replaced into the recipient
woman to attempt a pregnancy. The baby
because you want to.
or babies resulting from this treatment are • You must not be under any
genetically related to the donor, but the pressure or be coerced into
woman giving birth (the recipient) is the donating your eggs.
legal mother of the child or children. Further
• As a donor you must see a
details about IVF are contained in a separate
information leaflet and will be discussed in counsellor to talk about the
detail with you at your consultation implications.
Egg donation must be entirely voluntary
and there must have been no moral or
other pressure or inducements to donation.
What is altruistic egg
Independent implications counselling is donation?
mandatory for both donors and recipients
before donation can proceed. Altruistic egg donation is where a woman
donates her eggs to a recipient voluntarily
when she does not receive any financial or
Why is egg donation other benefit herself. Altruistic egg donors are
necessary? entitled to receive compensation or expenses
as specified in HFEA directions. The Human
Treatment with donor eggs may be suggested Fertilisation and Embryology Act (HFE Act)
in women: allows women to donate their eggs to known
or unknown recipients.
• with repeated failure using their own eggs
with IVF. When deciding to become an altruistic egg
donor, the full implications of donation must
• with a very low egg reserve.
be taken into account. A child or children
• who have experienced recurrent may be born as a result of the donation and
miscarriage. will be genetic half-siblings of the donor’s
children. Any children born as a result of
• at risk of passing on a serious genetic egg donation have the legal right to access
problem. identifying information about the egg donor
• who have experienced a premature when they reach the age of 18 (or 16 if they
menopause. are contemplating marriage).
Most women go through the menopause Egg donation is usually anonymous and
between the ages of 45-55 years but a small Fertility Exeter will make every effort to
number of women will have a premature ensure that the treatment is kept completely
menopause, either because they have been confidential. Fertility Exeter will, where
born with a smaller number of eggs than possible, match altruistic donors with
2
recipients from different geographic areas. In supportive parenting, a will and a legal
order to minimise the chance that the donor guardian and support from friends and
and recipient(s) may inadvertently be related family.
or know each other, both parties are invited to
• There should be no risk of harm or neglect
let Fertility Exeter know if they know anyone
to a child who may be born as a result
else having fertility treatment at the Centre.
of treatment. These factors include any
aspect of a patient’s or their partner’s
What checks are made past or current circumstances that may
about the recipient couple lead to a child experiencing serious
physical or psychological harm. This
who might receive my includes, but is not limited to, previous
eggs? convictions relating to harming children,
child protection measures regarding
IVF clinics have a legal duty to consider the existing children or serious discord or
welfare of the potential child or children violence in the family environment. If
that might be born after assisted conception necessary, further information may be
treatment including egg donation. The HFE sought from General Practitioners, other
Act requires Fertility Exeter to carry out an healthcare professionals, the police or
assessment of the welfare of the child which social services before a couple is accepted
includes the following: for treatment. If information has not been
provided or there is evidence of deception
• Treatment will usually only be offered to
and Fertility Exeter cannot get enough
couples (heterosexual or same sex) in a
further information to conclude there is no
stable relationship. Fertility Exeter has
significant risk, then the woman/couple
adopted the same criteria as Devon CCG
will not be accepted for treatment.
by defining a stable relationship as one
lasting two or more years. Single women • Women recipients of egg donation should
are also considered for treatment. be aged less than 50 years at the time of
embryo transfer.
• There should be no past or current mental
health or physical conditions that would • Fertility treatment is not offered to women
lead to an inability to care for, throughout who smoke and men are strongly advised
childhood, any children born as a result of to be non-smokers as well.
the treatment.
• Women/couples seeking treatment are
• There should be no substantial risk that required to provide evidence of their
any child who might be born would suffer identity in the form of photographic ID
from a serious medical condition. which includes their name and date of
birth (e.g. a passport or driving licence).
• The prospective parents should enjoy
sufficiently good health such that the
parental needs of the child could be met
without serious difficulty.
• If the child born as a result of treatment
might have no legal father (e.g.
posthumous treatment, single women)
that the woman or couple undergoing
treatment have considered the need for
3• Not be at risk of passing on any diseases
• Any recipient of your eggs will or illnesses to the recipient or any children.
undergo the same ‘welfare This means they need to be screened for
of the child’ assessment as inherited disorders, sexually transmitted
anybody else having assisted infections and virus infections including
conception treatment hepatitis and HIV.
• Recipients are required to • Have an anti-mullerian (AMH) level of
be less than 50 years old at above 10pmol/L to ensure that there is
the time any embryos are good egg reserve. Women who have had
previous surgery to remove part or all
transferred
of an ovary are unlikely to be accepted
• Recipients are required to be as a donor. There should be no history
non-smokers. of previous poor response to ovulation
induction treatment. In exceptional
circumstances for donation to a known
Who can become an recipient, donors with an AMH of below
10pmol/L may be considered, but the
altruistic egg donor? recipient will need to carefully consider the
chance of success.
Fertility Exeter has strict criteria for accepting
an egg donor based on the legal requirements • Have a body mass index in the range 19-
HFE Act and clinical evidence. Egg donors 29.9kg/m2. In exceptional circumstances
should: for donation to a known recipient, donors
with a BMI of 30-35kg/m2 may be
• Be between ages 18 to 35 years at
considered, but the recipient will need to
the time of donation. In exceptional
carefully consider the chance of success.
circumstances for donation to a known
Donors with a BMI more than 35kg/m2
recipient, older donors may be considered,
will not be accepted in accordance with
but the recipient will need to carefully
Fertility Exeter policy.
consider the chance of success, risk of
miscarriage and risk of fetal abnormality • Be a non-smoker. Fertility Exeter does not
based on the age of the known donor. accept donors who are smokers due to the
toxic effect of cigarette smoke on the eggs
which increases the risk of miscarriage
and complications during pregnancy. If
you are a smoker, you will be asked to
stop smoking for a minimum of 3 months
before you would be considered as an
egg donor.
4If I want to be an altruistic Hepatitis B Syphilis Karyotype
egg donor, what happens (chromosomes)
next? Hepatitis C Cytomegalovirus Cystic
(CMV) fibrosis gene
You will be sent a questionnaire to fill in and alteration
return to the Egg Donation Co-ordinator (a HIV Anti-mullerian Other
Senior Doctor). This will ask you details about (human hormone tropical
your health, physical characteristics, any immuno- diseases
pregnancies you have had and about your deficiency depending
virus) on travel
immediate family. There are also detailed
questions to assess if you are at risk of any history
viral infections including tropical diseases.
If your completed questionnaire suggests You should understand that this testing may
that you may be suitable as an egg donor, reveal that you have a condition such as an
you will be offered an appointment with the infection or genetic disorder about which
Egg Donation Co-ordinator. There will be no you have previously been unaware. The
charge for this consultation. implications of these tests will be discussed
with you at the fertility consultation.
What happens at the You will also need to take a swab from just
fertility consultation? inside your vagina to check for chlamydia and
gonorrhoea.
You will meet the doctor who will discuss
your medical, family and fertility history.
Donated eggs are usually used fresh, that
They will explain IVF treatment and the egg
is, not frozen before embryos are created.
donation process with you. They will discuss
The recipient(s) would usually have embryo
the full implications of treatment including
transfer 2-6 days after your donation. Any
the side effects, discomfort, risks of egg
spare good quality embryos will be frozen for
collection, failed fertilisation and failure of
potential use by the recipient(s) in the future.
embryos to implant.
Current UK guidelines state that as a donor,
The consultant will discuss the legal and you must undergo re-screening for infectious
ethical implications of IVF and donating diseases 3 months after your egg donation
eggs but all donors are advised to seek in order for such embryos to be released for
independent legal advice if they have use by the recipient(s). You should therefore
any concerns about proceeding with consider the donation cycle to be finished
treatment, legal parenthood or donation. only once re-screening has taken place.
They will discuss the consequences if you
or your recipient changes your mind about
proceeding with treatment.
If you are still keen to proceed, the doctor will
organise the further investigations required
by the HFE Act. This includes blood tests for:
5Counselling What information about me
Independent fertility counselling is available
is given to the recipients?
to all patients as part of IVF treatment. In The recipient and her partner will initially be
order to become an egg donor, you must given information about your age, physical
see the counsellors before finally deciding characteristics and ethnic origin. Fertility
whether or not to become an altruistic egg Exeter will try to match at least some of
donor. They will help you to understand the your physical characteristics to those of the
full implications of your donation both to recipient. The recipient can also see any of the
you and your family. If you are in a stable non-identifying information recorded on the
relationship, it is recommended that your HFEA Donor Information Form. This includes:
partner attends the counselling appointment
with you. Your marital The ethnic Your skills
status group of
your parents
Year and Any medical Your
country of conditions in interests
birth your family
The number Whether Other
and sex of you were personal
children you adopted details
already had or donor e.g. religion,
at the time conceived occupation,
of donation pen portrait
etc
Your Your medical A goodwill
reasons for and message
donating screening
history
What information is stored For anonymous donation, the recipient will
about me and my family? not be given any potentially identifying
information about you.
Fertility Exeter will keep a copy of your egg
donor questionnaire and your IVF notes for
at least 30 years. The HFEA requires egg
donors to complete the Donor Information
Form: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/docs/
HFEA_Form_Donor.pdf which contains
information about you and your family. There
is also a space for you to write about why
you have donated your eggs and a goodwill
message for any children born as a result of
your donation. This section is optional but is
particularly valuable for any child born from
your donation to help them identify with
their origins.
6You must contact Fertility Exeter if, after you
have been accepted as a donor or donated
Can I find out anything
eggs, new information about a medical or about the recipient’s
genetic condition comes to light. The HFE treatment?
Act states that a donor-conceived person
who is disabled as a result of an inherited Due to the confidential nature of assisted
condition that the donor knew about or ought conception treatment, Fertility Exeter is not
reasonably to have known about but failed permitted to give you any information about
to disclose, may be able to sue the donor for the recipient’s treatment cycle even though
damages. It is therefore essential that the she is using your donated eggs.
declarations you make on your egg donor
questionnaire are accurate, that you advise You are permitted to ask and receive
Fertility Exeter of any new information about information about any children born as a
your medical, genetic or family history and result of donation of your eggs. Fertility Exeter
that you keep your contact details updated. must provide you, where requested, with
information about the number of children
What information about born, their gender and their year of birth. You
may make these enquiries at any time.
me is given to the child/
children? When receiving this information, you may
find counselling helpful and this can be
Anyone born as a result of your donation, arranged through Fertility Exeter.
from age 16, is entitled to the non-identifying
information about you that is recorded on the As part of the consenting procedure you
HFEA Donor Information Form as above. will be asked whether or not you wish to
be informed if a child born as a result of
Anyone born as a result of your donation, your donation is affected by a previously
from age 18, is entitled to identifying unsuspected genetic condition. It is therefore
information about you. They will be informed very important that you keep Fertility Exeter
of your full names and any previous names, updated about any change of contact details.
date of birth and town or district where born
and last known postal address.
7What are the financial Can I withdraw my consent
implications of altruistic to donation?
egg donation? The HFE Act states that you can withdraw
You will not need to pay for the initial your consent to donation up to the point at
consultation with the doctor or the screening which embryos have been transferred into
blood tests to determine your suitability the recipient, discarded or used for training. If
to become a donor. If you are donating to the recipient withdraws from treatment you
an unknown recipient you will be entitled will be offered the choice of proceeding with
to compensation in accordance with the treatment and donating eggs to be frozen for
amounts specified in HFEA directions. later use by another recipient, or cancelling
the treatment at no cost to you. The reason
that counselling is so important before
Can I place restrictions on deciding to donate is to ensure that you
my donation? have no doubts before the treatment. If after
counselling you have doubts then donation
You are allowed to specify extra conditions is not the right treatment for you, and it is
on the use or storage of your donated eggs better not to embark on this treatment rather
or the embryos created using them. This is than withdraw at the last minute.
commonly used for known donors who want
to donate to a specific person/couple. You can
• If you still have doubts about
also specify a limit on the number of families
created as a result of your donation, up to a egg donation after your
legal maximum of 10 families. counselling, then perhaps
Fertility Exeter is required to comply with the you should not proceed with
Equality Act 2010 which is the law relating the process.
to discrimination. Fertility Exeter must not • You can withdraw your consent
treat people less favourably because of a
at any time up the point
“protected characteristic”. If the restrictions
you wish to place relate to protected
when embryos have been used
characteristics, Fertility Exeter may not be or discarded.
able to accept you as an egg donor. Protected • If the scheduled recipient
characteristics are: withdraws from the treatment,
you may choose to have your
Age Pregnancy Sex eggs frozen and used for
and
maternity another recipient at a later date,
or cancel the treatment at no
Disability Race Sexual
orientation cost to you.
Marriage Religion Gender
and civil or belief reassignment
partnership
8What happens if I am not
accepted as an egg donor?
If Fertility Exeter, having taken into account
all the medical, psychological and social
information about you, decides that you
cannot be accepted as an egg donor, you will
be offered an appointment at no additional
charge to discuss in detail the reasons
for the decision. You will also be offered
independent counselling by the specialist
fertility counsellors. If referral to another
doctor or service is recommended, this will be
discussed with you and with your agreement
a letter will be sent to your GP asking for
onward referral.
9Together we can achieve so much 10
11
Feedback
Here at Fertility Exeter we care about getting
things right for our patients. As such we would Direct Dial: (01392) 402093
welcome any feedback that you may have, to
help us continually improve the services we
provide. You can do this in a number of ways:
rde-tr.PALS@nhs.net
“What went well could go better if …………..”
These are yellow cards you will find in our
waiting area, please complete and put them
in the box provided, the box is sorted on a The PALS Office
weekly basis and suggestions are acted on Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital
accordingly. (Wonford)
Barrack Road
Exeter
EX2 5DW
Fertility Exeter,
Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust (Heavitree),
Gladstone Road,
Exeter,
EX1 2ED
Tel: (01392) 405051
Fax: (01392) 405260
Filename: Altruistic Egg Donor Information V2.0.Pdf
email: rde-tr.fertilityexeter@nhs.net QPulse Ref: F/PI/12
Authors: E.Sowerby, R.Cowie & L.Joels
Approved by: FGG Date: 05.07.2019
www.fertilityexeter.co.uk Review Date: 05.02.2021 Expiry Date: 05.07.2021You can also read
