Anonymous Oocyte Donation Program

The Anonymous Oocyte Donation Program (AOD) is available to couples who cannot produce a pregnancy because the female may be unable to produce eggs or her eggs may not fertilize. AOD allows the recipient couple the opportunity to experience pregnancy and deliver a healthy, genetically related child. AOD is chosen after careful consideration and consultation with the physician and psychologist.

Oocyte donation is a relatively recent addition to the list of available Assisted Reproductive Technologies. The procedure is similar, in concept, to the use of donor sperm. The use of donor sperm means that the child contains the genetic makeup of the biologic mother and the anonymous male donor. When donor oocytes are used, the child contains the genetic material from the biologic father and the donor female. Both of these procedures allow the conception of a child biologically related to one of the parents. If the male is infertile, donor semen can be used in conjunction with AOD.

Donor oocytes are an option in the following circumstances:

• Some women are born without ovaries and therefore have no eggs.
• The ovaries were removed due to tumors, infection or endometriosis.
• The ovaries were damaged by high-dose radiation therapy or certain chemotherapy.
• Decreased egg viability due to advanced maternal age, premature menopause, or chromosomal abnormalities.

The anonymous oocyte donor undergoes stimulation of her ovaries with hormones which cause her to produce numerous oocytes. These oocytes are retrieved and combined with the husband's sperm in an IVF cycle. The fertilized oocytes (embryos) are then placed in the recipient's uterus.

To participate in the non-anonymous (known) oocyte donor program, the recipient couple must find another woman, such as a family member or friend, who is willing to donate her eggs. For many women however, the only hope of experiencing pregnancy and delivery is through anonymous oocyte donation.

Oocyte quality usually begins to decline at age 35 and deteriorates rapidly until menopause. Some women experience this decline earlier, as in premature menopause. This condition is usually easily diagnosed by measuring follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) production. Even though oocyte quality declines with age, the uterus maintains its ability to support a pregnancy. Most clinics set age limits for donor oocyte recipients. The age limit is established by the physicians based upon ethical and health considerations. Women entering the Mayflower Women's Hospital in Ahmedabad AOD program must be younger than 50 years of age.

Anonymous oocyte donors at Mayflower Women's Hospital are 21-33 years old and screened for a family history of birth defects or other hereditary diseases. They also undergo a medical and social history, physical exam, psychological screening, and laboratory testing for the AIDS virus, hepatitis B and C and syphilis. The recipient couple pays for the donor screening, drugs needed to stimulate the donor's ovaries and a donor reimbursement for her time to undergo the treatment process.

The oocyte donation process is anonymous. No identifying information regarding the donor is released to the recipient couple. Likewise, no identifying information regarding the recipient couple is released to the donor. The donor is not told whether the oocytes fertilize or if a pregnancy is achieved. Donors are permitted to donate a maximum of five times.

AOD provides effective treatment for conditions previously considered hopeless.