Egg donation

Legal Requirements The following legal criteria apply: 

• The recipient of the donated eggs must be no older than 45 at the start of treatment. 

• The egg donor must be no older than 30. 

• Children conceived through egg donation have the legal right to access information about the donor once they turn 14. This information is provided by the Wunschkind Clinic upon request. 

• Patients are permitted to bring their own donor. If a friend, relative or trusted individual is willing to donate, we can carry out the donation using eggs from that person. 

You have been diagnosed with infertility but still wish to start a family? 

We are happy to support your fertility treatment through egg donation. If someone from your family or social circle is willing to donate, please bring them to the Wunschkind Clinic. 

WHAT Should a Donor Consider?  

The donor must be in good physical and mental health. They must meet strict criteria and undergo comprehensive testing to rule out infectious and hereditary diseases. These include tests for hepatitis, HIV, syphilis and chlamydia, as well as a genetic screening. 

Before treatment begins, the donor will also receive a detailed medical consultation where we explain the process and outline any potential risks, and discuss the legal and emotional implications. The donor must fully understand and accept the responsibility involved and must give informed consent without any expectation of payment or compensation. 

The donor has no legal or financial responsibility for the child. The child does not have inheritance rights, and the donation must always be voluntary and uncompensated. 

What IF YOU DOn't HAVE A DONOR

Anonymous egg donation is not permitted in Austria. However, if you do not have a donor, it is still possible to undergo treatment. We collaborate with international egg banks that fully comply with Austrian legal standards. All donors are subject to the required medical testing and their identities are known. 

The donor undergoes hormonal stimulation to mature multiple eggs. When the time is right, the mature eggs are retrieved via follicle puncture directly from the ovaries under sedation. The procedure is low-impact, and the donor can go home a few hours later. 

In parallel, the recipient undergoes hormone treatment to prepare the uterus for implantation. Both treatments are carefully coordinated. On the day of egg retrieval, the male partner provides a fresh sperm sample in a private room at the clinic. 

The donated eggs are fertilised with the sperm and monitored closely in the laboratory. Two to five days later, one or two embryos are transferred to the recipient's uterus. Any additional embryos can be frozen (cryopreserved) for future treatment cycles. 

After two weeks, a blood test can confirm whether implantation has occurred. Three weeks after embryo transfer, we perform an ultrasound to confirm a viable pregnancy. 

Most people wish to have children that are genetically their own, but that is not always possible. Austrian law allows egg donation in cases of infertility.

Egg donation can be considered in the following situations: 

• Premature ovarian failure due to early menopause or surgery 

• Poor egg quality 

• Multiple failed IVF attempts 

• Recurrent miscarriage 

• Chromosomal abnormalities identified during pre-implantation diagnostics 

• Absence of the onset ofmenstruation (primary ovarian insufficiency) 

• Ovarian failure before the age of 40 

• When the ovaries cease functioning before the age of 40.
  The reasons can be:

  • Genetic conditions 

  • Metabolic disorders 

  • Autoimmune diseases such as Addison’s or diabetes 

  • Viral infections (e.g. mumps, rubella) 

  • Environmental factors (e.g. smoking) 

  • Surgery resulting in sterilisation (e.g. for ovarian tumours) 

  • Previous chemotherapy or radiation therapy 

The success rate for pregnancy using donor eggs is significantly higher than with IVF or ICSI using the woman’s own eggs. This is due to the typically higher quality of eggs from younger donors. 

The pregnancy rate per treatment cycle is around 65%. 

However, success also depends on factors such as age, hormonal status, and lifestyle. Obesity, stress, smoking, and excessive alcohol consumption can reduce your chances of success. 

Our goal is to help each woman achieve pregnancy in as fewtreatment cycles as possible.