Need an Egg Donor?

Helping couples create their family

Melbourne IVF offers a comprehensive egg donor program tailored to those facing challenges conceiving with their own eggs. As the pioneering and longest-standing donor bank in Australia, we are dedicated to supporting you throughout your donor journey, whether you choose to use a known egg donor, such as a sister or friend, or if you prefer to explore the possibility of finding an egg donor through advertising.

In addition, Melbourne IVF provides a clinic-recruited egg donation program that identifies local donors aged between 23 and 35.

For further details and inquiries, we encourage you to reach out to your fertility specialist or contact us directly at 1800 111 483

Who can be an egg donor?

Ideally a known egg donor should be aged between 23 and 40 years old, our clinic recruited egg donors are required to be aged between 23 and 35, and have completed their own family.

Prior to proceeding with donation, all potential egg donors (and their partners, if applicable) will undertake a minimum of two counselling sessions and screening blood tests, and will complete a Genetic and Medical Health Questionnaire.

Where there is a family history of genetic or medical conditions, a clinical geneticist provides an assessment of potential risks to future offspring.

Can egg donation help me?

You may be considering using donated eggs to create your family if:

  • You have gone through a premature menopause,
  • There is a risk of passing on a genetic disease,
  • Your ovaries have been affected by chemotherapy or serious illness,
  • You have had IVF treatment but repeated cycles have indicated poor egg quality, or
  • Same sex male couples in need of donor eggs to have their family
  • counselling

    1. Counselling

    After an initial consultation with your fertility specialist, counselling is scheduled for both you as the recipient and your donor (and your respective partners, if applicable). Counselling is mandatory, and is an opportunity to discuss donor treatment and its implications.

  • egg donor

    2. Donor IVF cycle

    For donor egg cycles, if the intention is to transfer fresh embryos, your donor’s stimulated cycle is coordinated with your cycle. Your donor’s stimulation cycle is monitored (as for an  IVF-stimulated cycle) by the fertility specialist and will usually involve two to three vaginal ultrasound scans. The donor egg collection procedure is performed under a light general anaesthetic and takes around 20 minutes. It is usually performed in our East Melbourne Specialist Day HospitalWaverley Private Hospital Day Procedure Centre, or as a clinic patient through Reproductive Services at the Women's Hospital.

    At the time of egg collection your partner (if appropriate) provides semen, which is used to fertilise the eggs in the laboratory.

    Two to five days after the egg collection and fertilisation, one of the resulting embryos is transferred to you and any other viable embryos are frozen for potential future transfer. After two weeks, you have a pregnancy test.

    Transfer of frozen embryos made from donor eggs will usually take place in the recipient’s natural cycle (see thaw cycle) and does not require any further treatment for the egg donor.

    The pregnancy rate when using donated eggs is related to the age of the donor, and the number and quality of the eggs. Your fertility specialist will be able to advise you further about this at the time of your consultation.

    The Infertility Treatment Act 2008 allows the donor to withdraw consent to use of the embryos (by the recipient) at any time. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Egg Donation.

Can I use my international egg donor in Australia?

In Victoria, the donor must meet the VIC legislation.

The donor needs to be able to be:

  • Counselled by the ART clinic and sign Vic consent
  • Consent to embryos being imported
  • Be given written notice where his donation has been sent
  • Provide Identifying and non-identifying information
  • Donate to no more than 10 families
  • To not have been paid (reasonable expenses ok, may require receipt)

If we use a donor, will the donor's identity ever be released?

The welfare of the person born as a result of assisted reproductive treatment is paramount. This means that the donor conceived person is entitled to know who their donor is, should they want this information. The donor conceived person can request access to the donor’s identity when they reach 18 years of age.

Find out more about our egg donor program

If you're considering becoming an egg donor, find out more about the process of donating your eggs here.

Phone our Egg Donor Program Nurse on (03) 9473 4530
Contact us for further information about egg donation.