This is how Spanish egg donors are like

• Altruistic young women, conscious mothers and empathetic women driven by solidarity
• Donors receive a financial compensation for the caused inconveniences during the follow up, fixed by the Ministry of Health
• The action of donating values generosity among women.

VALENCIA, 23 OF JANUARY 2017
Woman, aged between 18 and 25 years old, raised in a more altruistic culture towards society than previous generations. Empathic and supportive, this woman joins to causes which years ago, awakened less social interest

“This is the major donor profile we receive at our clinics. A group representing a 62% of the overall of egg donation, followed by two other scenarios that, although different, are essential to complete the picture of egg donation in Spain” says Dr.  Alamá, director of the IVI Valencia Egg Donation Program.

Another egg donor profile would be integrated by women between 26 and 31 years old, many of whom have experienced motherhood on their own. It is them who after bringing life into the world are more sensitive to the circumstances of women with reproductive problems, so that they want to share the happiness of motherhood with those who cannot fulfil their dream to become mothers with their own eggs. This group accounts for 29% of the total donations that IVI receives in its clinics in Spain.

Finally, we find women between 32 and 35 years old, who represent 9% of donations, moved to donate their eggs for a feeling of pure sympathy, conscious of the importance of their gesture of solidarity for these women, aware of the importance of this gesture with those women deprived by nature to become mothers with their own gametes.

“These three groups of donors reveal with their selfless gestures the value of women helping each other in an issue where only we can get the change. It is an altruistic, voluntary and anonymous action, which aims is the most gratifying ever; a minimum effort for an unparalleled reward”, adds Dr. Alamá.

So, that in IVI clinics in Spain, the mean age of the patient who uses egg donation is already over 41 years of age. A progressive delay in the access to maternity which most of the times ends up pointing directly and univocally to an in vitro fertilization treatment with donated eggs.

“So much so, that in 2016 near to 6.400 of egg donation treatments were performed in our Spanish clinics; a 7% more than in 2015. The high success rate that offers ovum donation, which is above 68%, leads us to choose to transfer one single embryo (Single Embryo Transfer, SET) with the aim to reduce the number of twin pregnancies and the inherent risks (high percentage of premature labour, preeclampsia and higher number of caesarean labours). In addition, this allows us to preserve surplus embryos after the treatment, thanks to the vitrification technique, which offers similar results. In such a way, if it is decided to increase the family in the future, patients will be able to use these embryos without the need to turn to resort to a new egg donation”. states Dr. Alamá.

TCG in donors: A genetic insurance

At present, 1 in 100 new-born babies have a genetic disease. Through the Genetic Compatibility Test (CGT 547) we can detect up to 600 diseases and prevent their transmission to future babies.

This test, which permits to minimize the transmission of genetic diseases to offspring, is performed by default to all IVI donors.

“Even though the carriers are usually healthy people, when both parents are carriers of a mutation of the same gene, a baby affected by this pathology can be born. Hence, with respect to patients, IVI offers the possibility of selecting the donor through the CGT 547 to reduce the risk for the baby to develop any disease, guaranteeing at the same time, two blastocysts of excellent quality”, explains Dr. Evelin Lara, director of the IVI Barcelona egg donation program.

The process of egg donation in 5 steps

Consultations about egg donation reached at a national level up to 5.300 in IVI last year, which represents an increase of 29% with regard to the previous year. Dr. Lara explains in 5 basic steps what a woman should do to donate her eggs.

• Contact the fertility clinic where you are going to carry out the donation.
• Perform a first visit where, after evaluating their personal and family health history, we will perform a gynaecological review, complete blood test, genetic studies and an interview with one of our psychologist.
• If the donor is suitable, she can start to administer the medication for the preparation of her ovaries, for about 15 days.
• Once the eggs are matured, we proceed with the retrieval and vitrification (ultrafast freezing of the eggs at 196ºC).
• The donor will be able to leave and carry on with her daily routine once recovered during a few hours after this simple intervention of retrieving her eggs.

There is a financial compensation for the inconveniences caused, fixed by the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality, following the recommendations of the National Commission for the Assisted Human Reproduction.