Donor Egg IVF

Donor Egg Program: Procedure, Pricing, and Conditions

In many cases, such as poor egg quality or ovarian failure, women are unable to conceive using their own eggs. In order to increase their chances of pregnancy, many foreign patients choose to undergo egg donation procedures in Taiwan, the leading fertility technology hub in Asia, commonly referred to as "Donor Egg Program." If you are interested in understanding the procedure, the source of donated eggs, pricing, and more, please read on. 
 

Eligible Candidates for the Donor Egg Program: Who needs egg donation treatment?

• Women with ovarian failure or low ovarian reserve due to advanced age or unknown reasons.
• Women with congenital conditions that cause abnormal ovarian development.
• Women who have lost their ovulation function due to infections, surgeries, immune factors, or chemotherapy.
• Individuals known to carry genetic disorders that cannot be treated by Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M, formerly PGD).
• Women who have undergone multiple unsuccessful egg retrievals, are unable to obtain good quality eggs/embryos, or have a low egg retrieval count.

 

Lee Women’s Hospital Donor Egg Program

As one of the leading fertility centers in Taiwan, with over 4,000 IVF treatment cycles conducted annually, and nearly 40 years of clinical experience in infertility, Lee Women’s Hospital understands the heartfelt desire of every infertile couple to become parents. We offer a comprehensive Donor Egg Program, ensuring strict screening of egg donors compared to regular clinics. Our International Affairs Department provides VIP services such as treatment consultations, outpatient appointments, and accompanied visits, streamlining the process for patients coming from overseas and offering personalized care.
 

Source of Donated Eggs

Lee Women’s Hospital currently has its own egg bank, with donors who have an average age of 26 years and undergo rigorous examinations. In addition to meeting the requirements set by Taiwan's Health Promotion Administration (HPA), we also conduct chromosomal screening to ensure the high quality of the donated eggs received by our patients.
 

Introduction to the Donor Egg In Vitro Fertilization Process

When it is confirmed that you will undergo the Donor Egg IVF treatment, please provide copies of both partners' passports, blood type reports, and a marriage certificate that has undergone notarization. The International Affairs Department of LWH will arrange your medical visit date in Taiwan. 

Donor Egg IVF Process Flowchart

The Donor Egg IVF treatment at LWH consists of three major steps: 

1. Physical Examination and Semens Storage:

   During your first visit to our hospital, which requires a stay in Taiwan for 3 to 5 days, you will undergo physical examinations and semen storage. This includes tests such as the woman's Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) test, vaginal ultrasound, hysterosalpingography, hysteroscopy, and the man's semen analysis.

2. Waiting for Egg Matching and PGT-A Report:

   It takes at least 2 weeks to complete egg matching and obtain approval from the Health Promotion Administration (HPA). Afterwards, embryologists fertilize the donated eggs with the man's sperm to create embryos. The embryos will be cultured until the fifth day, undergo embryo biopsy for testing, and then be cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen at -196°C, awaiting the Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A) result.

3. Embryo Transfer:

   You will need to stay in Taiwan for approximately 7 days during the 10th to 20th day of the next menstrual cycle to undergo embryo transfer.

Examinations before donor egg IVF

Egg Donors

Before beginning the egg donation process, the following examinations must be completed for egg donors:

Health examination	LWH examination items	Other clinic
Age Requirement	20-34 years old	20-40 years old
General Physical Examination	✔	✔
Infectious Disease Screening: Hepatitis B Hepatitis C HIV Syphilis Gonorrhea Chlamydia Infection	✔	✔
Family Medical History Inquiry	✔	✔
Blood Test (including blood type)	✔	✔
Ultrasonography	✔	✔
Ovarian Reserve Testing (AMH)	✔	✔
Genetic Disorders Screening: Epilepsy Hemophilia Family History Thalassemia Diabetes Mellitus Color Blindness Family History Chromosome Karyotyping Spinal Muscular Atrophy Fragile X Syndrome	✔	▲

Donor Egg Recipient

The recipient couple undergoing egg donation needs to complete the following examinations:

• Anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) test (Ovarian Reserve Testing)
• Transvaginal Ultrasound
• Hysterosalpingography (HSG)
• Hysteroscopy
• Semens Analysis

How much does Donor Egg IVF treatment cost? What is included in the cost?

The cost of the Donor Egg IVF treatment is approximately USD 18,300 to 28,300. The cost includes payment for the donor’s egg retrieval procedure, the donor's medical examination expenses, and the IVF treatment expenses for the recipient couple. Additional examination items will be charged separately.

Contact our International Affairs Department: ivftaiwan@gmail.com

FAQ about Donor Egg Treatment: Requirements, Donor Matching, and Success Rate

1. Is it legal to receive egg donation for Donor Egg IVF treatment in Taiwan? What are the requirements?

   Donor Egg IVF treatment in Taiwan is legal. LWH is an assisted reproductive center approved by the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the entire treatment process complies with legal regulations. When one spouse is diagnosed with infertility or a genetic disease, they can utilize egg donation to proceed with Donor Egg IVF treatment.
   
   Currently, donor egg IVF in Taiwan is limited to heterosexual couples in a legal marriage who meet the criteria based on Article 7 of the Artificial Reproduction Act in Taiwan.
   • General psychological and physiological state.
   • Family disease history, including records of hereditary diseases of the person in question and blood relatives within the fourth degree of kinship.
   • Suspected hereditary or infectious diseases affecting ability to give birth.
   • Other matters designated and announced by the competent authority.

2. How can I find a suitable egg donor? Does the hospital assist in donor matching?

   LWH has its own egg bank, with egg donors having an average age of 26 years. These donors undergo thorough physical examinations and chromosomal screening to ensure the quality of the eggs. According to Taiwanese law, the recipient couple cannot specify a particular donor, and the donor cannot specify the recipient couple. As a lawful reproductive medical institution, we strictly adhere to the Taiwan Artificial Reproduction Act. The information of the egg donors, such as their race, ethnicity, and blood type, can only be provided to the recipient couple.
   
   This is because the entire process must comply with the three principles of "anonymity, no specification, and non-compensation." During the matching process, the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare verifies that there are no familial relationships between the donor and the recipient family. Anonymous matching not only protects the privacy of the donor but also ensures that the recipient couple's family will not be disturbed in the future.

3. What is the success rate of Donor Egg IVF treatment?

   In LWH, donor egg IVF treatment has a live birth rate of 70%. According to official statistics from the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, the success rates for Donor Egg IVF treatment using donated eggs are as follows: a fresh embryo live birth rate of 53.8% and a frozen embryo live birth rate of 40.3%. (Source: The Assisted Reproductive Technology Summary 2020 National Report of Taiwan)

4. Can we see the doctor first before deciding whether to proceed with Donor Egg IVF?

   Yes, you can. Accepting Donor Egg IVF treatment is a significant decision, and you can come to the hospital for examinations first before confirming the need for Donor Egg IVF. Please contact our International Affairs Department and prepare a marriage certificate that has completed the notarization process before arranging your visit to LWH.

5. What difficulties might arise in Donor Egg IVF?

   According to the law, the legally designated egg donor must be between 20 and 40 years old. The average age of egg donors at LWH is 26 years old. However, using donated eggs does not guarantee a 100% pregnancy rate because the physiological age of the recipient woman remains unchanged and can still be affected by the uterine environment and the quality of the husband's sperm, which can impact the pregnancy rate.
   
   To increase the thickness of the uterine lining, female hormones can be supplemented to achieve a thickness of 8mm or above, creating an environment similar to natural cycle embryo implantation. 
   
   If the quality of the husband's sperm is poor, it can be adjusted through medication. If the issue lies in the sperm's ability to penetrate, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and Spindle View Positioning Technology can be used to increase the fertilization rate and avoid damage to chromosomes during the artificial fertilization process.

6. What is the general process for Donor Egg IVF?

   For international patients, please contact the International Affairs Department at LWH. We will request your identification documents and notarized marriage certificates. Once these documents are collected, we will schedule a clinic appointment for you.
   
   During your initial visit to Taiwan, we will arrange various physical examinations, including hormone tests, hysterosalpingography (HSG), hysteroscopy, and semen analysis. If any factors that hinder pregnancy are identified, we will proceed with surgical or medical interventions to address them, and then you can formally enter the treatment process.
   
   After the egg matching process is completed, our embryologist will fertilize the donor's eggs with the male partner's sperm to create embryos. The embryos will be cultured until the fifth day, at which point embryo biopsy will be performed for testing. The embryos will then be cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen at -196°C, awaiting the results of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). Once the test results are available, you will need to stay in Taiwan for approximately 7 days during the 10th to 20th day of the next menstrual cycle to complete the embryo transfer procedure.