Premature Ovarian failure, DE abroad?

[Snowdog37]

I've got very low AMH 0.22 and high fsh 23, which combined with my consistently low antral follicle count I've now been diagnosed with premature Ovarian failure at 38. So donor eggs are the way to go for me. I'm trying to focus on the positives, the eggs will come from a much younger and healthier woman, and the chances of success are way way higher. It's just shite at 38 to be basically menopausal!
Is anyone else looking at (or had) treatment abroad in Spain, Greece or the Czech Republic? I'm in the USA where treatment with donor eggs is insanely expensive! So traveling abroad will be about 50-75% cheaper even including flights!

[greenlizard]

Sorry to hear about your POF - what a bugger. I didn't go overseas for my DE treatment as I chose to stay in the UK mainly because I wanted any resulting child to be able to trace the egg donor when they were older if they so chose.

So I can't help in that respect but I can say that I have had a fantastic experience with DE - I am mid 40's and my egg quality was poor due to age and suffered multiple heartbreaking miscarriages when conceiving naturally. We decided to go the DE route, conceived first time and had our son in 2015. We had enough blastocysts to freeze a couple and I am now 38 weeks pregnant with a daughter as a result of a FET. We feel very lucky and I really can't imagine loving them any less if they were biologically mine. It might not have been your planned route to motherhood but I am sure you won't regret it! Good luck!

[ncayley115]

For genetic reasons we had an egg donor. We used IVI Alicante in Spain. We now have a lovely 21 month old little boy. We were able to choose exactly when we wanted our treatment as there are so many egg donors in Spain. Ours was a frozen ET.

Total cost (2 rounds of ICSI) £10k.

[Grenoble124]

Hi Snowdog. We went to IVF Zlin in Czech Republic. Was successful on first attempt. Highly recommended and used by American couples. Feel free to ask me anything.

[amyisagonegirl]

I also went to zlin. Very good clinic and so well set up for people travelling for treatment. I've been lucky enough to have a little girl of 4yrs and 2yr old twin boys. All the very best.

[PurpleDaisies]

You're 36 on another thread may. Can't you even keep your story straight?

I would never ever use biotexcom because of their unscrupulous marketing techniques.

[Snowdog37]

I just wanted to update my thread! I went to Prague in June for my first cycle of donor egg ivf using my husband’s sperm and we really hit the jackpot! I got 8 mature eggs all fertilized with icsi, 6 of which then went on to become expanded blastocysts on day 5. I had 2 transferred and 4 frozen. The cycle was successful and I’m currently nearly 23w with a healthy little boy!!!! Can’t recommend donor eggs and also my clinic enough!

[spinduffy]

Snowdog that is lovely news! Can I ask what clinic you used? What all characteristics were you matched for? X

[Snowdog37]

Thanks Spin! I went to Praga Medica Gest, and did their Optimum Egg share option. Basically they pick a donor for you. I didn’t care too much about characteristics tbh I just wanted the eggs to come from a young healthy lady. As it turned out my donor has light brown hair and blue eyes and is my exact height, so I was delighted with that. You can do a more expensive options where you can choose characteristics and keep all the eggs but there’s no guarantee of a better outcome if you see what I mean. I know one lady who did that option and had no decent embryos to freeze, only 2 to transfer and she didn’t succeed. It’s kind of luck of the draw, much like Ivf with your own eggs. I got exceptionally lucky really.

[amyisagonegirl]

Fantastic news snowdog. I'm so thrilled for u

[Cutesbabasmummy]

Snowdog I've followed your story for a while on this board and whey hey! That is truly fabulous news! So happy for you! Our de boy is turning into a threenager.. ! Fun times!

[May1205]

Hi. We’re just starting to look into the DE process as a back up.... will try own IVF first but have just had 3 MC so not confident about egg quality. Would be interested to know what IVF clinics with donor egg options people used in London and found recommend? We are Brits living in Australia so will do own IVF here but would come back to UK for DE. DE is rare in Aust and most go to South Africa which I don’t want to do as its anonymous by law and would want little one to have possibility to trace donor in the future. Any recommendations?

[Mandy002]

Snowdog I'm currently having DE treatment in Greece at embryolab. So far I have found them to be very lovely and helpful. This is my first treatment of DE anywhere but in the UK it's double the price and massive waiting lists so I opted for going abroad too. Feel free to message me if you want any other details

[Carajillo]

Mandy002, I would be really interested to know where these 'massive waiting lists' are in the UK? If you do research via the HFEA website, it tells you the waiting lists for all the UK clinics and a huge proportion have waits of about 3-6 months, plus the obvious advantage of your child having the chance to find their donor when they are 18? I think it is absolutely fine to choose to go abroad for treatment, but I think knowledge is power in this respect. I have 11 year old twins from donor embryo in Spain and they would love to have more information. It is something to think about?

[Cutesbabasmummy]

Carajillo for information at the Oxford Fertility Unit we were told it was a 2 year wait for a donor egg. That seems a long time when you are waiting. In Spain we literally could pick when we went and could choose a donor out if several we were matched with. A lot of people who don't know our son is donor conceived say he looks like me. The donor and I coincidentally have the same blood type. I dint mind that my son won't be able to trace the donor- she just gave a bit if tissue bit I created my son with his daddy.

[Carajillo]

Hi Cutesbabasmummy,

Yes, that is a really long wait so I can see why you didn't want to wait that long! I do know that there are other UK clinics with shorter waiting lists for those who prefer a UK clinic. Very happy that you had success though! I have two 11 year olds from Spain xxx

[Cutesbabasmummy]

Yes I guess it just depends where you are. Our little boy is worth every penny we spent on him! Are your twins identical? Xx

[Carajillo]

Hi,
No I have a boy and a girl!! xx

[Cutesbabasmummy]

Ah lovely! We only had 1 embryo put in as they knew I would be a high risk pregnancy due to a genetic condition. That's why we went for a donor egg x

[Carajillo]

Aah! I am so glad it worked for you! It is the best thing I have ever done - I did it as a solo mum and although it has been very hard sometimes, my children are so brilliant. xxx

[May1205]

Hi. I’d be interested to know which U.K. (preferably London) clinics people used and if they were able to get donor eggs from U.K. we are looking at the bridge of anyone has experience with them? Thinking early 2019 That we will go for

[Ferrousfumerate1]

Hi, what sort of costs are people looking at for DE at Czech or Spanish clinics (plus sperm)? Asking for a friend.

[Cutesbabasmummy]

Total cost for us with 2 cycles was about £10k. We didn't need donor sperm.

[Ferrousfumerate1]

Thanks, Cutes - which clinic was this?