Egg donation in Spain: a highly controlled process

an authorized process for more than 30 years : the case of Egg donation in Spain

The method of egg donation in Spain is by no means new, as the law authorizing gamete donation has existed for more than 30 years (1988). Compared to 30 years ago, the process has changed: it has evolved, adapted to the research, to the results, and has become a very well established process.

In Spain, there is a state body called SEF (Sociedad Española de Fertilidad) that issues recommendations every year on all assisted reproduction processes. This body is made up of a medical committee that adopts new standards that each clinic must then apply in its protocols.

Auditing the clinics on the protocols, the facilities and the success rates, SEF is one of the quality guarantees in Spain. It must be remembered that external controls are carried out on everything that happens in the clinic.

What does the law say about egg donation?

Everything related to assisted reproduction and egg donation treatment in Spain is regulated by a 2006 law, which includes:

Access to the assisted reproduction techniques for all women, regardless of their marital status, sexual orientation, and age.
Possible application of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for the detection of genetic or chromosomal alterations in the embryo.
Authorization of assisted reproduction techniques in public or private accredited centers.
Right of embryo donation or double donation.
The ROPA method is allowed.

What about donation of gametes?

Gamete donation must be anonymous (both for oocytes and sperm).
Donation is free of charge: donors will be entitled to compensation, but in no case will the donation be for profit or commercial purposes.
Egg donors must be between 18 and 35.
The clinic will be the only one in charge of selecting the donor for each patient, with the obligation to respect the physical characteristics of the recipient woman.
One donor can donate more than once but cannot have more than 6 children born from the donation. It is now controlled by a national registry called SIRHA.

Tests to enter the donation program:

Spanish law regulates egg donation in Spain and establishes mandatory tests for the acceptance of a candidate for egg donation. These tests are the following:

Infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis)
Basic blood tests for general health
Gynecological and ovarian reserve tests
Karyotype: verification of chromosome structure and number of chromosomes.
Genetic screening for the most serious rare diseases (e.g. cystic fibrosis, muscular atrophy, spina bifida. Thalassemia, etc.)
Psychological evaluation to rule out cases of depression, schizophrenia bipolar disorder.

Vida Fertility’s Egg Donation Program

At Vida Fertility, we ourselves manage the donation program. Our team selects the donors, performs all the necessary tests, monitors stimulation and proceeds with the egg retrieval. This allows us to better control the quality of the process.

We place great emphasis on selecting the right donor for each patient and performing a synchronized donation with the patient’s endometrial preparation. To learn more about our donation program, please contact us HERE.