Double donation is the term used to refer to a fertility treatment which uses gametes from an egg donor and a sperm donor to generate an embryo which is transferred during blastocyst stage to the recipient woman’s uterus.
The fertilisation process is performed in an IVF laboratory, using sperm microinjection (ICSI), which is a technique in which the spermatozoids are selected, based on their motility and morphology, and injected into the donor eggs with the help of a microneedle.
Double donation should not be confused with treatments using donor eggs fertilised in an IVF laboratory with the sperm of the patient’s partner, or embryo donation, when a previously created embryo is donated by patients who’ve already undergone successful IVF treatments and completed their family, so they decide to help other couples achieve their dream by donating the surplus embryos.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF DOUBLE GAMETE DONATION?
The advantages of double gamete donation are that pregnancy rates are higher and miscarriages and chromosomal abnormalities are reduced because both the egg and the sperm come from young, healthy donors. It’s the fertility treatment with the highest donor selection guarantee, and success rates of up to 70% per transfer.
WHEN IS DOUBLE DONATION RECOMMENDED?
Double donation may be recommended in the following cases:
- When both the male and female partners have fertility issues and are unable to achieve pregnancy with their own gametes, for example, due to issues such as diminished ovarian reserve or azoospermia.
- When both the male and female partners are carriers of a hereditary disease, so as to avoid passing on such conditions to their future children.
- Same-sex female couples where neither of the women is able to produce eggs that would result in viable embryos.
- Single women with fertility issues, including low ovarian reserve, advanced maternal age, or poor egg quality.
OVOBANKID EGG AND SPERM DONORS
OvobankID is a leading worldwide gamete bank with an extensive donor database. Our mission is to provide donor diversity and facilitate access to high-quality frozen gametes for prospective parents and fertility clinics around the world.
Donor screening is one of OvobankID’s main priorities. Among the comprehensive medical tests that are carried out on candidates, we can highlight the battery of blood tests, psychological evaluations and genetic studies, after which only 34% of donor candidates are accepted. Since 2016, we’ve preformed recessive mutation carrier studies on new donors, to minimise the transmission of genetic diseases to children born from our donated gametes.
Our rigorous selection criteria and the strict vitrification and thawing protocols we apply result in high survival and pregnancy rates in the IVF treatments performed by our collaborating centres.
At OvobankID, we understand that choosing a donor is an extremely personal decision, and we’ll be happy to answer all your questions regarding gamete donation and which option is the best for your specific circumstances.
Don’t hesitate to send us a message and a member of our friendly support team will get in touch with you as soon as possible and help you get started on your family-building journey.
