Guaranteeing the safety and health of donors is the main and indispensable requirement of the professionals working at Ovobank ID. All to ensure the viability of the gametes. This is why, thanks to the strict protocols required, we can guarantee clinical, technological and ethical excellence.
Safety from the first step: donor selection
At Ovobank ID, our commitment to the safety of the gametes is the utmost from the very first moment the donor sets foot in our centres. In fact, only 34% of donor girls are considered suitable after passing the different tests they are subjected to.
The first examinations include a personal interview with the potential donor. In this interview, her mental health is examined in depth, as she will only be suitable if she passes the psycho-technical test. This is the first step. Then, an exhaustive medical evaluation is carried out, where everything is checked to ensure that everything is correct, in addition to consulting the medical and family history in order to detect genetic antecedents.
This would result in the immediate exclusion of those profiles with possible hereditary risks.
Genetic matching for gamete donation
In order to detect these possible hereditary conditions, Ovobank ID has state-of-the-art technology. This procedure consists of comparing the DNA of the donor with that of the recipient or recipient couple. This requires a blood test to be carried out. This analysis will be carried out by each member of the couple. Once the blood is collected, possible genetic mutations associated with hereditary diseases are analysed. More than 100 possible diseases are analysed.
In the event that the donor and recipient are carriers of mutations in the same gene, this pairing will be ruled out to minimise the risk of the baby inheriting the disease.
Various factors are analysed within genetic matching. In order to determine the compatibility between donor and partner, everything from genetics as such to phenotypes or physical characteristics are studied. Among the analyses that must be carried out, histocompatibility also stands out. This factor is relevant to know if there is a risk of immunological rejection or complications during pregnancy.
Regulations and certifications
Ovobank ID, in its commitment to guarantee quality and traceability, has obtained ISO 9001: 2015 certification in integrated egg bank and sperm donor management, audited by Bureau Veritas. For the transport of samples, we use DRY SHIPPERS containers, approved for land, air and sea transport of biological samples.
We believe that Quality, Environmental Protection and the Health and Safety of all the people in the organisation must be fundamental pillars guiding every decision and initiative of our companies.
Legality
Ovobank complies with the Spanish Assisted Reproduction Act 14/2006 and with Royal Decree-Law 09/2014 on cell and tissue banks in quality systems (both transpositions of European directives 2004/23/EC, 2006/17/EC and 2006/86/EC to Spanish national territory, which regulate the collection, donation, analysis, traceability, storage and distribution of donated gametes). The bank has obtained authorisation from the Spanish health authorities as a human egg bank.
