Embryo Donation (Embryo Adoption)

Embryo donation is an IVF procedure indicated when both members of the couple cannot become parents with their own eggs and sperm. In this case, the transferred embryo carries genetic information from another man (sperm donation) and another woman (egg donation).

Embryo Adoption Program at EmBIO

The donated embryos to be transferred may come from couples who have done IVF and do not wish to have any more children, so they officially offer the embryos to other couples giving them the chance to become parents themselves. This is usually the case when couples have twins or triplets via IVF, or they already have other children, so they decide they want to offer their extra good quality embryos to other couples. Most often this involves a frozen embryo transfer (FET), unless the egg donor’s and the recipient’s ovulation cycles coincide.

In most cases, however, embryo adoption procedures at EmBIO Medical Center involve fresh genetic material from selected egg donors and sperm donors (ET). In this case, the couple chooses from a readily available and thoroughly screened pool of egg donors matching the desired characteristics, and sperm from the accredited Danish Sperm Bank EmBIO collaborates with.

IVF with Embryo Donation is indicated for:

• Couples with diagnosed infertility and repeated IVF failures
• Adult women up to the age of 50  in good psychological and physical health (the embryo donation age limit is actually the egg donation age limit, which is 50 years for the egg recipient in Greece)
• Patients with repeated miscarriages
• Serious sperm problems
• Poor ovarian reserves
• Serious genetic diseases not dealt by Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)

IVF Procedure with Embryo Adoption

For the woman undergoing an IVF procedure through embryo donation, the procedure is easy and painless. The egg donor is going through an ovulation stimulation cycle of 15-20 days, while the egg recipient’s endometrium is prepared by hormone therapy to receive the embryos.

During the first visit, if the woman’s health status is confirmed as fit to carry out the pregnancy, a full pelvic examination is performed (by your obstetrician at home, or by Dr Paraschos at EmBIO in Athens). Finally, the embryo transfer process is explained, and the embryo transfer date is set.

Then the embryo transfer is performed without requiring hospitalization. However, the patient is advised to avoid physical efforts for some hours following embryo transfer.

After 12 days, a pregnancy test is performed. If it’s a BFP, and pregnancy is progressing normally, the patient will continue her initial hormone treatment for 2-3 months. Meanwhile, you can be monitored by your gynecologist at home.

Embryo Donation Success

The probability of success for each embryo donation cycle at EmBIO Medical Center under the team of Fertility Specialist Dr Thanos Paraschos is 69%.

Waiting Time

Since there are no waiting lists for Embryo Donation Programs at EmBIO, once the necessary tests and initial preparations are completed (2-4 weeks), the egg donor starts her hormone treatment, the sperm is selected and embryo transfer is scheduled.

Read Our Donor Egg IVF Testimonials!