National Fertility Awareness Week: The Fertility Myths Around Using Donor Eggs

It’s National Fertility Awareness Week 2017, and this year Fertility Network is encouraging us all to ‘Talk Fertility’, focusing on the facts - and not the misconceptions – about fertility issues.

One of the biggest myths about fertility is that it only becomes an issue for women after the age of 35. And whilst older women do account for a large number of those who need donor eggs, age-related infertility isn’t the only reason that donor eggs are needed.

Fertility problems necessitating the use of donor eggs can affect women of all ages, such as:

• Premature menopause
• Premature Ovarian Failure
• Previous medical treatment such as chemotherapy
• Poor egg quality – a history of failed IVF cycles
• Very low/diminished ovarian reserve
• Embryo chromosome abnormalities in previous treatment

Although we can identify many of these issues in advance of starting fertility treatment, sometimes problems only come to light after IVF using own eggs has been attempted.

And it’s thanks to our egg donors that we’re able to offer women in this situation who feel they have no hope, the hope of a family.

Egg donors are the real ‘heroes’ in the infertility stories of many women. And you can make a difference.

Your eggs might be used to help someone have a baby after cancer treatment. To help someone conceive because their own natural fertility isn’t how it should be.

So during this week’s National Fertility Awareness Week, let’s ‘Talk Fertility’ – and talk about just how important and amazing egg donors are when it comes to infertility and its many solutions.

Shattering the myth that it’s only older women who need donor eggs when in fact, anyone of any age can find they need donor eggs.

If you’d like to help us by becoming an egg donor, take a look at our egg donor criteria, how it works and browse our comprehensive blog library.

As the first egg donor programme in the UK to achieve National Gamete Donation Trust Centre of Excellence status, we set the standard for egg donor care.

If you’re ready to apply, complete our short online application form or contact our Donation Team on 0161 300 2734.