When to consider

The first successful pregnancy resulting from egg donation occurred in 1984 and involved a woman who suffered from premature ovarian failure (POF).

Today, women who turn to egg donation also include:

• Women who are perimenopausal (the period immediately before and after the onset of menopause) and have few eggs.
  
• Older women who may have already experienced natural menopause.
  
• Younger women who have not been successful with in vitro fertilization (IVF).
  
• Younger women whose eggs and embryo are of poor quality.
  
• Women who carry a significant genetic illness and are at risk of transmitting it to their child.