Legal Definitions - egg donation

Egg donation is an assisted reproductive therapy where eggs are retrieved from one woman (the donor) and transferred into the uterus of another woman (the recipient). The recipient then carries and delivers the child, with the egg typically fertilized in vitro before transfer.

Egg donation is a medical procedure within assisted reproductive technology where eggs are retrieved from one woman (the donor) and then transferred to another woman (the recipient) with the intention that the recipient will carry and deliver a child. Typically, the donor's eggs are fertilized outside the body, often using sperm from the recipient's partner or a sperm donor, before the resulting embryo is placed into the recipient's uterus.

• Example 1: Maria and Ben have been trying to conceive for several years, but medical tests reveal that Maria's ovaries are no longer producing viable eggs due to premature ovarian failure. To achieve their dream of having a child, they decide to pursue egg donation. They select an anonymous donor whose eggs are fertilized with Ben's sperm in a laboratory. The resulting embryo is then transferred into Maria's uterus, allowing her to experience pregnancy and childbirth.

  Explanation: This illustrates egg donation because eggs from one woman (the anonymous donor) are used to create an embryo, which is then transferred to another woman (Maria) who carries the pregnancy to term, fulfilling the definition of the recipient carrying and delivering the child.

• Example 2: David and Michael, a married gay couple, wish to start a family. They choose to use an egg donor from a fertility clinic and a gestational surrogate. The chosen donor's eggs are fertilized with David's sperm. The resulting embryo is then transferred into the uterus of their surrogate, who carries the pregnancy for David and Michael.

  Explanation: Here, egg donation is central to the process. Eggs from the donor are fertilized and then implanted into the surrogate (the recipient), who carries the child for David and Michael. This demonstrates how egg donation enables individuals or couples who cannot provide eggs themselves to have biological children.

• Example 3: Sarah is a single woman in her late 30s who wants to have a child. After several unsuccessful attempts at conception using her own eggs, her doctor explains that her egg quality has significantly declined with age. To increase her chances of a successful pregnancy, Sarah decides to use an egg donor. Eggs from a younger, healthy donor are fertilized with sperm from a sperm bank, and the resulting embryo is transferred into Sarah's uterus, allowing her to carry the pregnancy.

  Explanation: In this scenario, Sarah is the recipient. She receives eggs from another woman (the donor) to create an embryo, which is then transferred into her own uterus. This allows her to experience pregnancy and childbirth, despite her own challenges with egg quality, directly demonstrating the application of egg donation.