Egg donation has provided hope for many couples who have struggled with fertility. One key factor for anyone considering using donor eggs is the success rate of the treatment. Understanding these success rates and their meanings can help guide you through the egg donation process and manage your expectations.
In this blog, we’ll break down success rates, the factors affecting them, and which rates are the most important for your fertility journey.
What affects egg donor success rates?
The quality of the donor’s eggs
The quality of the donor’s eggs is one of the most important factors in determining the success of IVF treatment. Egg donors are typically between 21 and 32 years old, as younger eggs are generally healthier and have fewer chromosomal abnormalities. Donors who already have children are often preferred because their eggs are believed to have a better chance of success.
Other factors, such as genetic testing, all contribute to the quality of the eggs. Cutting corners in the donor screening process can lead to lower-quality eggs, which may reduce the chances of a successful pregnancy.
At Central Egg Bank, we follow a thorough selection process to ensure we provide high-quality donor eggs:
- Donors are women between 21 and 30 years old.
- Most of our donors are already mothers, demonstrating their fertility.
- Donors are physically and mentally healthy.
- We conduct a comprehensive personal and sexual history to rule out risks for HIV, STIs, or other transmissible infections.
- Donors undergo standard and blood screening tests.
- All donors undergo a detailed physical exam, including pelvic assessments and antral follicle counts via ultrasound scan.
- Donors complete a 416 gene genetic screening test.
- Mandatory psychological evaluation and implications counselling by a qualified mental health professional to ensure donors are emotionally prepared. In Australia, the counsellor has to be a member of the Australian and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors’ Association (ANZICA).
The expertise of the clinic
The clinic you choose plays a critical role in the success of your treatment. IVF and egg donation involve complex procedures and processes that require expertise from both the fertility specialists and the embryologists handling the eggs. From the freezing and thawing of eggs to the fertilisation and embryo transfer, each step needs to be carried out with precision. The clinic’s experience and success rates are key indicators of its ability to provide effective treatment.
Your and your partner’s health
While donor eggs replace the patient’s eggs, your and your partner’s physical health still impacts the overall success of the treatment. For example, the quality of your partner’s sperm can influence fertilisation rates. A thorough medical screening, including sperm analysis and genetic tests, is crucial to identify any issues.
It’s also important to address any underlying health conditions you may have and ensure your body is in the best condition to receive and support a healthy pregnancy.
Your mental and emotional well-being
Staying positive and managing stress during the fertility process is often overlooked, but it can make a big difference in the results. Fertility treatment can be emotionally challenging, but maintaining a hopeful outlook and managing your mental health can contribute to better results. Seek support from loved ones or professionals if needed, and take care of your emotional well-being as much as your physical health.
Does my age affect my success rate with donor eggs?
When it comes to using donor eggs, the recipient’s age is less significant compared to using their eggs. Since donor eggs come from younger women, typically in their twenties or early thirties, the success rate remains higher, even if the recipient is older. Younger eggs have a lower risk of chromosomal abnormalities, which leads to higher success rates for pregnancy and live births. However, factors such as the recipient’s overall health and the condition of their uterus can still play a role.
Different donor egg success rates and their meanings
Thaw survival rate
Eggs are frozen using a process called vitrification, which preserves them for future use. When the time comes to create embryos, the eggs are thawed. The thaw survival rate refers to the percentage of eggs that survive the thawing process.
At Central Egg Bank, our thaw survival rate is 97%, ensuring that most eggs remain viable for fertilisation after thawing.
Fertilisation rate
Fertilisation is when a sperm cell penetrates an egg, creating an embryo. In a lab, this process happens overnight with your partner’s sperm and the donor’s eggs using an Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This is when an embryologist selects one sperm and injects it directly into the egg. When using frozen eggs, ICSI is required to fertilise them successfully. This is because eggs that are frozen and later thawed develop a hardened zona pellucida, the thick outer layer surrounding the eggs.
The Central Egg Bank’s fertilisation rate is 72%, which means that 72% of the eggs that are thawed and fertilised might become viable embryos.
Implantation rate
The implantation rate refers to the percentage of embryos that successfully attach to the lining of the uterus after being transferred.
At Central Egg Bank, 52% of embryo transfers result in successful implantation, meaning that just over half of all transferred embryos are able to settle in the uterus and begin the next stage of development.
The success rates shown are based on results that include cycles involving abnormal semen analysis. Additionally, these rates do not take into consideration other fertility issues that are unrelated to the donor eggs.Egg donation offers a promising path to parenthood, and understanding the success rates can help you navigate the process with confidence. At Central Egg Bank, we are dedicated to supporting you every step of the way with our high success rates, expert team, and personalised care. If you’re ready to explore your options with egg donation, don’t hesitate to contact us.
