Frequently asked questions from recipient couples
In which situation can egg donation help us?
In addition to medical reasons (e.g. cancer treatment, genetic diseases, premature menopause etc.), it is increasingly social factors today that explain why
couples or women cannot become pregnant with their own eggs. The wish for a child is usually postponed beyond the age of 35.
From the age of 40, however, it becomes considerably more difficult to become pregnant. In all these situations, fertility treatment with egg donation
can be an option for affected couples. However, the legal basis for this differs from country to country.
→ see also "Requirements & indications"
We have read about it several times, but what is the difference between anonymous and non-anonymous egg donation?
In countries that permit anonymous egg donation (e.g. the Czech Republic), the law prohibits passing on any information about the identity of the donor.
In non-anonymous egg donation, the law stipulates that a child conceived with donated eggs
has the right, from a certain age, to find out who the donor is. Consequently, the identity of the donor must be disclosed.
→ see also "Legal framework"
How long does fertility treatment with egg donation take?
The duration of treatment depends on the number of available and suitable donors. As a rule, about 3 months. The identification/allocation of a suitable donor takes place after a comprehensive medical examination. This shows which woman is ultimately allowed to donate her eggs. Donors are selected according to strict criteria.
What can and may we find out about the donor?
The recipient couple can obtain information about the donor (phenotypic, i.e. physical characteristics) without her identity being disclosed.
Donors are matched to the couple on the basis of phenotypic characteristics (e.g. height, weight, hair colour, eye colour, blood group).
However, a match of all characteristics cannot be guaranteed.
→ see also "Donor selection"
How often do we have to come to the IVF centre for treatment?
The recipient couple only needs to come to the IVF centre for the initial consultation and the embryo transfer. The initial consultation usually also includes the allocation of a potential donor and the sperm donation by the recipient's partner.
Will I love my child just as much even if I am not the genetic mother?
The mother-child relationship and the care and love that go with it are generally just as intense as in all other families. There are studies* on IVF treatments with donated eggs that show there are no detectable differences. Scientists assume that the genetic connection is not essential for family development and the bond between mothers and children. Mothers have a biological connection with their children through pregnancy and birth, which compensates for the negative experiences of previous infertility and strengthens their identities as mothers.
* "Egg donation parents and their children: follow-up at age 12 years" | C. Murray, F. MacCallum, S. Golombok – Fertility and Sterility Vol85 No3 (610-618), March 2006
Should we tell our child?
Whether it would be better to tell the child or not is a very individual decision and up to the parents. Science can only offer limited guidance here. There are studies* that deal with this topic. A comparison of 11- to 12-year-old children (8.5% of the total group) who had been told with children who had not been told showed that there are no differences in the parent-child relationship or in the children's social and emotional behaviour (Golombok 2002).
* "Disclosure of donor conception, age of disclosure and the well-being of donor offspring" | G. Pennings – Human Reproduction, Vol.32, No.5 pp. 969–973, 2017
When is the right time to tell our child?
Here, too, there are scientific studies showing that the child's age at the time of disclosure plays no statistically significant role. A study* of 10- and 14-year-olds found no differences in psychological well-being between children who had been told and those who had not (Kovacs 2015, Illioi 2016). Other study results postulate more negative effects the older the children were when they were told. According to these, the child should find out before puberty. The child then deals with this information playfully, will ask questions now and then, but grows up and matures with this information without any loss of trust. If the information comes during or after puberty, this can lead to serious disruptions in the parent-child relationship and, above all, put a strain on the relationship with the mother.
* "Disclosure of donor conception, age of disclosure and the well-being of donor offspring" | G. Pennings – Human Reproduction, Vol.32, No.5 pp. 969–973, 2017