Ovum donation

Abstract

Oocyte donation has come of age. It is now an integral part in the management of infertility, providing hope to patients who were previously considered permanently infertile. The procedure is no longer used only to treat patients with premature ovarian failure, but also to treat patients with failed in vitro fertilization procedures and those patients who are carriers of genetic disorders. Recently, very encouraging results in the treatment of women above the age of 40 have been reported; the pregnancy rate of those below and above the age of 40 is almost identical, providing clear evidence that the endometrium retains its ability to nurture developing embryos despite advancing age. The future of oocyte donation will probably lie in the ability to mature pre-antral immature oocytes obtained from ovaries removed during standard surgical procedures and fertilizing them in vitro.