Understanding donor egg IVF
What is donor egg IVF?
For some women, using donated eggs offers the best chance of having a baby. Donor egg IVF involves fertilising eggs from a carefully screened donor with your partner's sperm or donor sperm in the laboratory. The resulting embryo is then transferred into your womb.
At Consilium Clinic, we provide a personalised, consultant-led approach to egg donation treatment. We support you from your initial assessment and donor selection through to embryo transfer and early pregnancy care.
We work with the CARE Fertility Egg Bank, giving eligible patients access to a selection of carefully screened donor eggs.
Who it may help
When donor egg IVF may be considered
Treatment with donor eggs may be considered for a number of reasons, including:
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reduced ovarian reserve or very low AMH
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previous unsuccessful IVF treatment associated with poor egg quality or embryo development
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premature ovarian insufficiency
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early menopause
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increasing female age, where the likelihood of pregnancy using your own eggs has become very low
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previous chemotherapy, radiotherapy or ovarian surgery that has significantly affected ovarian function
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absence of the ovaries
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other circumstances where treatment using your own eggs is unlikely to offer a reasonable chance of success
The decision to use donor eggs is highly personal. At your consultation, Ms Ben Nagi will discuss your individual circumstances, alternative treatment options and expected chances of success before recommending treatment.
Our egg bank partnership
Choosing your donor through the CARE Fertility Egg Bank
Consilium Clinic uses frozen donor eggs from the CARE Fertility Egg Bank. Using an established egg bank means there is no need to wait for a donor to complete her own treatment cycle, and your treatment can be planned around you.
Once your clinical assessment is complete and you are ready to proceed, you will be registered with the egg bank. You can then explore the available donor profiles. These may include characteristics such as physical features, ethnicity, medical history and other non-identifying information provided by the donor. The donation team will guide you through the matching and selection process, and once you have chosen a suitable donor, the allocated eggs can be reserved for your treatment.
Egg donors used for treatment through a UK licensed fertility service undergo medical assessment and screening in line with the applicable regulatory requirements. It is important to understand that no screening programme can eliminate every possible genetic or medical risk, and this will be discussed openly with you.
Initial consultation
A detailed consultation to review your medical, gynaecological and fertility history, any previous treatment and relevant investigations, and, where appropriate, your partner's history. We will discuss why donor eggs are being considered, the alternatives, and the realistic likelihood of pregnancy and live birth.
Pre-treatment assessment
Tests to make sure treatment and pregnancy are medically appropriate and as safe as reasonably possible. These may include a pelvic ultrasound, assessment of the womb, infectious disease screening, semen analysis where partner sperm will be used, a general health assessment and further blood tests depending on your medical history and age.
Counselling and consent
Specialist fertility counselling to explore the emotional, ethical and legal aspects of donor conception, followed by completion of the required consent forms before treatment begins.
Registration with the CARE Fertility Egg Bank
Once you are ready to proceed, you will be registered with the egg bank and can begin exploring donor profiles, supported by the donation team. Registration follows payment of an upfront fee, which covers your donor practitioner consultation, registration, access to the egg bank and matching with a suitable donor.
Selecting and reserving your donor eggs
Once you have chosen a suitable donor, the allocated donor eggs are reserved for your treatment.
Fertilisation and embryo creation
The donor eggs are thawed in the embryology laboratory and fertilised using your partner's sperm or donor sperm. The resulting embryos are carefully monitored, and suitable embryos are frozen by vitrification for a later frozen embryo transfer.
Preparing for frozen embryo transfer
In the month before transfer, we assess the womb and, where appropriate, carry out a mock embryo transfer. The lining of the womb is usually prepared with oestrogen followed by progesterone, with ultrasound scans to confirm when it is ready. Where clinically suitable, treatment may instead take place in a natural or modified natural cycle.
Embryo transfer
A single thawed embryo is gently placed into the womb using a fine catheter under ultrasound guidance. Any additional suitable embryos can remain frozen for possible future treatment.
Pregnancy test and early pregnancy care
You will be given a date for your pregnancy test. If it is positive, we will arrange early pregnancy scans and continue to support you before transferring your care to your chosen obstetric or maternity team.
Support and guidance
Counselling, consent and donor conception
Donor conception has important emotional, ethical and legal considerations, and it is natural to have questions.
Before treatment, you will be offered specialist fertility counselling. This gives you time and space to explore how you may feel about using donated eggs, how and when you might talk to a future child about their conception, and the information that a donor-conceived person may be entitled to access in the future.
Treatment is carried out within the UK regulatory framework. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) information and consent requirements must be completed before treatment can begin, and we will guide you through each form so you understand what you are agreeing to.
Many people find counselling helpful not only before treatment, but also during and after it.
Our approach
Care that feels thoughtful and personal
Choosing to use donor eggs can bring a mix of emotions, and every person's path to this point is different.
At Consilium Clinic, care is designed to feel calm, clear and supportive. You will have time to ask questions, understand your options and make decisions without pressure.
Wherever possible, Ms Ben Nagi remains directly involved in your care, including consultations, scans and procedures, so you are supported by someone you know and trust from your first appointment through to early pregnancy.
Consultant-led care
Your care, guided by experience
Your treatment is led by Ms Jara Ben Nagi, Consultant Gynaecologist and accredited specialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery.
With extensive experience in IVF and advanced fertility treatment, she provides thoughtful, evidence-based care tailored to your individual circumstances. Her focus is on clarity, continuity and personalised support throughout your treatment.
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Understanding risks and expectations
Donor egg IVF can offer a good chance of pregnancy for many people, but it does not guarantee pregnancy or a live birth.
It is important to understand that:
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not every donor egg will survive thawing, fertilise normally or develop into an embryo suitable for transfer or freezing
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occasionally, treatment may result in no suitable embryo being available
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no donor screening programme can eliminate every possible genetic or medical risk
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pregnancy carries additional risks for women of more advanced reproductive age or with significant medical conditions, which may mean further investigations or specialist assessment before treatment
We recommend single embryo transfer to reduce the risks associated with multiple pregnancy.
Our priority is not simply achieving pregnancy, but helping you start a pregnancy as safely as possible. All risks will be discussed with you in detail during your consultation, alongside written information to help you make fully informed decisions about your care.
Consilium Clinic uses frozen donor eggs from the CARE Fertility Egg Bank. The eggs are thawed in the embryology laboratory when you are ready to proceed with treatment.
Yes. Donor eggs can be fertilised using your partner's sperm or donor sperm, depending on your circumstances.
Donor profiles may include non-identifying information such as physical features, ethnicity and medical history. The donation team will support you through the matching process.
A baby conceived using donor eggs will not share your genetic material, but will be genetically related to your partner if their sperm is used. Under UK law, the woman who gives birth is the child's legal mother.
In the UK, people conceived using donated eggs may be entitled to access information about their donor in the future. This is explored during counselling, so you can think about how and when to talk to your child about their conception.
No fertility treatment can guarantee pregnancy. Your chances will be discussed openly at your consultation, based on your individual circumstances.
This depends on your circumstances and will be discussed with you in detail at your consultation, alongside any alternative options.