When there is an issue with both male and female reproductive cells, embryo donation is the method of choice to have a baby. Embryo donation is in vitro fertilisation by taking sperm and egg from donors. Azoospermia (no sperm) in the male and insufficient eggs in the female are the most common conditions we encounter with couples where we apply embryo donation. Beyond this, sometimes couples cannot achieve pregnancy despite the presence of sperm and eggs. Sometimes, even if pregnancy occurs, recurrent pregnancy losses (miscarriages) may occur.
How Exactly Is Embryo Donation Procedure Performed? In the embryo donation process, egg collection (oocyte donation) is obtained from someone who donates their eggs (donor) and sperm is taken from the sperm bank. Fertilisation with ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is performed in a laboratory setting. The procedure is not different from a classical IVF method, but sperm and eggs are taken from donors. The embryo(s) (fertilised egg) are then injected into the uterus of the expectant mother. What are the Advantages of Embryo Donation? Embryo donation is usually performed in cases where sperm and eggs are insufficient or unhealthy. Sometimes it can be applied in cases of recurrent pregnancy losses, consanguineous marriages or autosomal dominant (dominant hereditary inheritance) genetic diseases. The biggest advantage is the elimination of male and female reproductive cell factor infertility. The biggest advantage of Embryo Donation in Cyprus is that the couple can come to the island only a day before the transfer and return to their own countries one day after the transfer. Only 3 days will be sufficient for the IVF procedure. What are the success rates of embryo donation in Cyprus? Although the success rate of embryo transfer in our centre varies according to the number of embryos transferred, this rate is above 80% and when PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis) is added to this, success rate reaches 90%. Factors That Increase Success One of the main reasons why embryo donation has become very successful in Cyprus is the use of good donors and registered sperm, and that the transfer process is performed by a specialist doctor. As in egg (oocyte) donation, we use young and healthy eggs in embryo donation. Sperm is obtained from a globally registered sperm bank, which ensures healthier and more successful embryos. Healthier embryos mean higher pregnancy rates and reduced miscarriage rates.