Donation
The Invitam Clinic, as well as rigorously following the requirements set by the Spanish Law on assisted reproduction for donations, also applies the most stringent controls to guarantee to our patients that before being accepted into the donation programme, donors have undergone the most precise medical, genetic, psychological and socio-cultural analyses.
Why becoming a donor?
Solidarity is a vitally important value in the field of reproductive medicine. By donating eggs, you can help many couples who cannot naturally conceive children due to their genetic or medical circumstances. This is where donors and recipients are anonymously connected to closely help each other through egg donation. This is a process of great beauty because two women are connected for one of them to become a mother thanks to the other’s solidarity.
Eggs
A woman who decides to donate her eggs is moved by a desire to help other women become mothers. She approaches this medical procedure freely and altruistically. Additionally, she shows her interest and willingness to help throughout the procedure.
What steps should an egg donor take?
First step
At the first consultation, the donor is informed in detail about the entire process. Later on, she undergoes a gynaecological check-up and a blood test to rule out sexually transmitted diseases and karyotype anomalies and to determine the blood type. Furthermore, a broad analysis of monogenic disorders and a psychological evaluation are also performed.
Second step
The next step comprises the controlled ovulation stimulation by means of a hormone treatment that will take approximately two weeks. Throughout this process, there will be ultrasound scans and blood tests, so she should be available to come to the clinic several times.
Third step
3. Finally, the process is completed with the oocyte removal. This procedure is performed in the surgery while sedated. The puncture is vaginally performed and the process lasts 10 to 20 minutes. After the intervention, the patient must rest for a few hours under medical observation. Once discharged, she will be able to return to her normal activities, taking into account the appropriate medical indications.
Fourth step
To complete the treatment, an ultrasound scan will be performed some days after the intervention to check that the patient is in good health.
Important things that a donor must know:
Egg donation does not reduce the possibilities of conceiving in the future, since it does not involve a reduction in the ovarian reserve.
It must be noted that donating oocytes does NOT accelerate menopause, nor does it lead to fertility problems in the future. Each menstrual cycle, the ovaries select a specific number of follicles, only one of which ovulates and the others disappear following atresia. In assisted reproduction treatments we try to recover those oocytes that would be lost in that cycle, without this representing a reduction in the patient’s ovarian reserve.
Donation is always anonymous and confidential, and hence donor and recipient cannot know each other or meet. The clinic will carefully select the donor by checking her compatibility with the recipient. In this process, the Invitam Clinic guarantees the patients’ data protection by implementing the “General Data Protection Regulation (RGPD in Spanish) and the Organic Law 3/2018 on Personal Data Protection and Digital Rights Guarantee (LOPDGDD)” and also the regulations of the “national register of assisted reproduction donors (SIRHA)”.
In Spain, the donation of gametes is governed by the Royal Decree-Law 9/2014, of July 4th, which specifies that the donation of cells and tissue will always be voluntary and altruistic
Additionally, the Law 14/2006, of May 26th, on assisted human reproduction techniques determines the need to sign a free, formal and confidential contract between the donor and the authorised centre. Furthermore, it indicates that donation will never be a commercial or for-profit enterprise.
ADVERSE EFFECTS: The oocyte donation procedure does not generally have side effects on the patients and it is tolerated well. However, in some very rare cases, some complications can occur. The most usual ones are non-specific symptoms, such as: menstrual pain or a bloated feeling that disappears in a few days.
Other adverse effects is haemoperitoneum (presence of blood in the peritoneal cavity), which occurs in 0.34% of procedures. According to the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF), only 0.006-0.008% of cases are considered to be serious.
Exceptionally, we can encounter other complications, such as: genital infection, hymen tear, punctured intestinal loop or other anatomical part, ovarian torsion and those derived from the anaesthetic.
Side effects can also occur, such as thromboembolic events and adverse reactions or intolerance to medication. For this reason, all patients are comprehensively assessed on the risks of administering gonadotropins before starting the stimulation process.
You can read the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF) information document on oocyte donation for more details: sirha Donantes.pdf (sefertilidad.net).
For more information, please contact us by phoning +34 966 09 16 66 or by sending us a WhatsApp message to: +34 623 11 59 85. We will be happy to expand on this information and solve all your queries.
We provide you with the informed consent document so that you can be aware of the different steps and effects of the oocyte donation procedure.
Sperm
Gamete donation is an altruistic act that gives life. This act of solidarity helps many couples and women who, due to medical or social reasons, require this help to be able to carry out their assisted reproduction treatment.
What steps should a sperm donor take?
First step
At the first consultation, the donor is informed in detail about the entire process.
Second step
Later on, a sample is analysed, studying the concentration, motility and morphology of the gametes. A freezing and de-freezing test will also be conducted to ensure the sperm can survive this process.
Third step
The donor undergoes a blood test to rule out sexually transmitted diseases and karyotype anomalies, and to determine blood type. Furthermore, a broad analysis of monogenic disorders and a psychological evaluation are also performed.
How many times can you come to the clinic?
The donor can come to the clinic once a week, taking into account that the law enables up to 6 children to be born from the gametes of a single donor. The donation cycles tend to be 10 weeks (10 donations), and the cycle can be repeated a few months later.
Important things that you must know:
– You do not need to undergo any treatment.
– Donation is always anonymous and confidential, and hence donor and recipients cannot know each other or meet. The selection of the donor will be the clinic’s responsibility. In this process, the Invitam Clinic guarantees the patients’ data protection by implementing the “General Data Protection Regulation (RGPD in Spanish) and the Organic Law 3/2018 on Personal Data Protection and Digital Rights Guarantee (LOPDGDD)” and also the regulations of the “national register of assisted reproduction donors (SIRHA)”.
– In Spain, the donation of gametes is governed by the Royal Decree-Law 9/2014, of July 4th, which specifies that the donation of cells and tissue will always be voluntary and altruistic
Additionally, the Law 14/2006, of May 26th, on assisted human reproduction techniques determines the need to sign a free, formal and confidential contract between the donor and the authorised centre. Furthermore, it indicates that donation will never be a commercial or for-profit enterprise.
The clinic can decide to finish the donation process if some of the following circumstances occur:
– The sperm quality stops being acceptable.
– Anomalies are detected in the periodic blood tests.
– The maximum number of pregnancies stipulated by law for one specific donor is reached.
Embryos
In this case, couples who have already realised their dream of becoming parents donate their frozen embryos to help other couples who cannot conceive due to medical or genetic reasons.
Just like in the other donation processes, this is also anonymous and confidential, and hence the recipient parents cannot know or meet the donors. In Spain, embryo donation is anonymous and confidential, just like gamete (oocyte and sperm) donation, and hence the recipient parents cannot know or meet the donors. In this process, the Invitam Clinic guarantees the patients’ data protection by implementing the “General Data Protection Regulation (RGPD in Spanish) and the Organic Law 3/2018 on Personal Data Protection and Digital Rights Guarantee (LOPDGDD)” and also the regulations of the “national register of assisted reproduction donors (SIRHA)”.
The recipient must follow a hormone treatment to thicken the endometrium with the aim of maximizing the probability of a pregnancy.
The centre will select the donated embryos. The persons with the greatest phenotypic and immunologic similarity to the recipient will be selected.
We can help you
Request an appointment and we will inform you of what is the most appropriate treatment for you We specialize in personalized attention to our patients.
