Thousands of couples from Europe and the UK choose to travel abroad for egg donation treatment as a result of the shortage of egg donors in their country. Facing fertility-related problems is indeed serious and stressful. There are long waiting times for egg donation treatment in most countries with a national health system and this is frustrating for couples who have decided to embark on the IVF journey. Another reason why so many couples seek egg donation treatment abroad is due to the laws regarding the anonymity of the egg donors. Some fertility clinics are allowed to disclose the identity of the egg donor, should the offspring choose to find out more about the identity of the woman that has provided her DNA for their fertilisation. Travelling abroad, to a country with complete anonymity of egg donors, enables a couple to enjoy the certainty that the donor can never find out if a child was conceived through her egg donation.
Who is Egg Donation Treatment Recommended for ?
A woman may be unable to produce viable eggs that can ensure a normal pregnancy or a successful In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). There are many different reasons responsible for that, including age. Older women (>35 years of age) usually have diminished ovarian reserve, low egg reserves in their ovaries. However, it is not unlikely for younger women (i.e. in their 20s) to suffer from low ovarian reserve because of premature menopause symptoms. Also, patients that have recently undergone chemotherapy may be facing fertility problems. Finally, mothers with a serious hereditary disease or familial disorder can also benefit from our egg donation program to ensure that they don’t pass their genetic problem onto their child.
Making Sure of the Fertility Clinic’s Qualifications
Before you make any important decision, it is wise to find out some things about the fertility clinic you are considering use for your fertility journey. When it comes to egg donation, here are some key-questions you should seek answers to before you proceed with treatment.
- Where does the clinic get their donor eggs from? Are they fresh or frozen ?
- How do they ensure the donors are in excellent health, both mental and physical ?
- Do they allow their egg donors to donate their eggs multiple times ?
- What are their screening criteria? How rigorous are they ?
- What type of information will you receive about the donor ?
- Does the donor have their own family with children of their own ?
- Does the clinic share a donor’s eggs with two or more couples ?
If the answers you get make you feel good inside, then you are probably right. If something feels wrong, though, trust your instinct and don’t sign up for any treatment before you get more feedback and information about the clinic.
The Most Preferred Destination of Those Considering Egg Donation Abroad
Undeniably, North Cyprus is among the most popular destinations for IVF treatments , including egg donation abroad. The laws pertaining here, as opposed to those of the south part of the island, are more liberating, we may say. For example, gender selection for family balancing is not an available anywhere in Europe except North Cyprus. So, if you want to choose the gender of your child, it is a one-way street. This is one major asset North Cyprus offers, compared to other countries, such as Spain, Czech Republic and Bulgaria, which are also favourite destinations for couples that seek IVF treatment abroad.
In addition, IVF clinics in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, such as Cyprus IVF Centre by Team Miracle, offer egg freezing, embryo freezing, multiple embryo transfer, treatment for same sex couples and single women, women with high BMI and ladies of an older age.
In addition to having egg donation treatment, at Cyprus IVF Centre, you can also add extras to your treatment package. Some optional extras, exclusively available at Team Miracle, include the EmbryoScope Time Lapse Imaging Incubator, BlastGen Culture Medium, FertilePlus Sperm Selection, IMSI and many more. These all add to the high chance of a positive pregnancy result with only one treatment cycle.
North Cyprus Egg Donation Facts You Need to Know
1. Donor Anonymity
All egg and sperm donors are anonymous in North Cyprus, and there is no central donor register on the island. This is mainly to prevent shortage of egg and sperm donors, which, in turns, allows patients to have their donor egg treatment without entering a long and agonising waiting list.
Unlike some countries, such as the UK, where children born from donated egg and/or sperm have the legal right to find out their donor’s identity at the age of 18, it is impossible for this to happen in North Cyprus.
2. Egg Donor Tests
Needless to say, all prospective donors are tested for infectious diseases, such as CMV, HIV, Hepatitis B & C, Syphilis, Rubella and hereditary/genetic diseases (i.e. Cystic fibrosis, Haemophilia A & B, etc.). At least, that’s the policy at the Cyprus IVF Centre so that patients will receive the best quality donor DNA that can then be combined with their partner’s DNA to result in the fertilisation of the egg and subsequently embryo implantation later on. In addition, the Cyprus IVF Centre takes screening a step up and also carries out regular hormone testing on prospective egg donors (i.e. FSH, Anti-Mullerian Hormone, Prolactin, and more). Finally, karyotyping, a procedure where the chromosomes inside the donor’s cells are analysed for abnormalities, is also standard and available at our centre, which is something not many fertility clinics globally offer at the moment.
It should also be noted that, unlike with other fertility clinics abroad, the qualified donors for our egg donation program are screened for infectious diseases both before enrolling to the program AND every 2 months, by our doctors at Team Miracle.
3. Cyprus IVF Centre Egg Donor Program
We understand patients’ concerns with regards to where their donor eggs come from. At our premises, we have an extensive database of pre-screened egg donors, all healthy and young women (20-26 years old) that qualify for the program. All eggs retrieved from the donor are used exclusively for one patient. Egg sharing is not carried out and as a result, the patient receives all of the best quality mature eggs from that donor. Due to this, the IVF success rates increase impressively.
4. Eggs Donated by a Family Member or Friend
Some patients feel more comfortable using donor eggs from a relative or friend instead of a person they do not know. We totally sympathise with them and offer them the opportunity to bring the selected loved person – the prospective donor – to our clinic so that she can be screened and tested to ensure her reserve eggs are of high quality and, of course, healthy and free from any inheritable genetic disease. If everything is alright, the donor’s menstrual cycle will be synched with the patient’s cycle using the contraceptive pill prior to ovulation stimulation medication being used to produce as many good quality mature eggs as possible.
5. Donor Options
Reproductive medicine has certainly progressed greatly compared to a few decades ago and clinic such as Team Miracle at Cyprus IVF Centre are now able to offer couples the chance to actually choose what their donor looks like. That way, they can pick a donor with features close to theirs (i.e. same eye or hair or skin color) or educational background or nationality, or couples can even select a donor with opposite features to their own if they so desire.
6. Cost of Egg Donation
Compared to European countries, the cost of an egg donation treatment abroad can be almost three times less than the cost you would normally have to pay. However, patients should always be on the lookout for additional costs that may not be included in the advertised price, and they should also consider accommodation and flights, too. At Cyprus IVF Centre by Team Miracle, there are no hidden costs an all fees are explained clearly in advance so that there are no unwanted surprises when you are in Cyprus for your treatment.
Without a doubt, Cyprus is a beautiful place to combine your IVF treatment with some time to relax, unwind, and recharge your batteries; a nice breakaway from the hurried lifestyle that affects those living in big, metropolitan cities abroad. Both the pace of life and the peaceful environment with stunning natural surroundings comprises the ideal setting to have a short break. Plus, Cyprus also offers affordable and easy travel options, which is another reason it is so popular with people choosing to have an egg donation treatment abroad.
If you have a question about the egg donation treatment offered at Cyprus IVF Centre, please do let us know. Our friendly and knowledgeable patient coordinators will be happy to receive your enquiry and handle it accordingly (either dispatch it to Team Miracle’s medical personnel or provide the necessary support and information themselves). Either way, you will not have to feel alone anymore. We are here to help you start a family…and take home your Miracle baby!
