Alternative forms of treatment

Egg cell donation

Some women cannot use their own ova for medically assisted reproduction. This may be because the woman has no more egg cells, for example if she has undergone a premature menopause. In a particular case it might be that a woman carries a disease or condition that can be inherited by the children. Although these women are not infertile, if they want to have children the donation of an egg by a healthy woman can offer a way out. The woman who provides the ova (the donor) is treated to stimulate her ovaries then has eggs removed by the puncture technique. The donor cells are then fertilised by sperm from the recipient’s husband. The embryos are placed in the recipient’s uterus in the same way as with IVF. If however the recipient no longer has periods, she must have replacement therapy, by which the hormones she no longer makes herself are compensated for by tablets or injections. This technique has already helped many couples. Nevertheless the demand for donor egg cells is always much higher than the supply. Consequently the waiting time is long, unless the patient finds a donor herself.

For more information on egg cell donation, visit www.eiceldonatie.be

Sperm donation

If it appears impossible to obtain sperm from the man, the doctor can suggest that the couple use sperm from a donor. We call this artificial inseminate by donor (AID). If this is an acceptable option for the couple, fertilisation with donor sperm can take place by the IUI as described above. In some cases the use of donor sperm can be recommended for IVF or ICSI.