This procedure is similar to egg donation. However, instead of borrowing the egg and using the recipients husband's sperm for fertilization, both the egg and the sperms are derived from donors.
All the patients who are eligible for egg donation can also be eligible for embryo donation. In egg donation, there are the problems of getting patients to donate their eggs. Furthermore it is a relatively costly procedure, as compared to embryo donation. Embryo donation also yields the highest pregnancy rate-as high as 30-40%. Hence if the couple has no objection in using donor sperm, it is a preferred method of choice!
The pregnancy rate by embryo donation is 30-40% per cycle. The reason for the high pregnancy rate is two fold. Firstly, these are often excellent quality embryos. Also, since we prepare the Endometrium using hormones, the uterine receptivity to these embryos is usually very good.
This is similar to egg donation. In patients who are menstruating (having their periods) the hormonal control of the cycle is taken over by starting GnRh Analogue Injection starting from 21st day of previous cycle. Once the patient gets her period, Estradiol Valerate tablet is started from the 2nd day of period. On the 10th day an ultrasound is done to assess the receptivity of the Endometrium by measuring its thickness.
An Endometrial thickness of more than 9mm is good for pregnancy. Once this is achieved, one can wait to obtain good quality embryos, to place back into the womb. It is important to note that with this regime, one can wait for as many as 35 days after starting Estradiol Valerate, for an embryo transfer.
In case of menopausal woman, who have stopped having periods, cyclical hormones are given for 3-6 months till the time the patient starts having her periods. After that the procedure is the same, starting with Estradiol Valerate tablets from the second day of period. In these women, there is no need to give GnRh analogues such as Suprefact, as the hormonal control has been naturally shut off.