Egg donor clinic recommendations/ success stories?

[TheGlitterFairy]

Hi, after an unsuccessful 4th round of IVF - cancelled over the weekend due to my low ovarian reserve/ poor response, DH and I are looking to move to DE.

I’ve been scouring the boards looking for info on the best places to go, and know that anonymous donor vs non anonymous is probably the starting point for the discussion but I’d be grateful if anyone could share their story and/ or if anyone would be able to recommend the clinic they used?

I’ve seen lots written about IVI Spain/ Alicante and clinics in Cyprus too - and have been looking at egg donation friends. Equally, my clinic in London offer this too so lots of info but great to hear from others.

Thanks in advance!

Thanks Cocorocky1 - we have just gotten our first appointment - 3rd June. So all going ahead now too. Thanks. I hope you can stand the wait for the next week. It is nerve wracking waiting. It is brilliant you got some frosties. After 4 IVF's I never had any - going the full round each time over. It is brilliant relief to know you have back up. Take care.

Thanks Cocorocky1 - we have just gotten our first appointment - 3rd June. So all going ahead now too. Thanks. I hope you can stand the wait for the next week. It is nerve wracking waiting. It is brilliant you got some frosties. After 4 IVF's I never had any - going the full round each time over. It is brilliant relief to know you have back up. Take care.

Thanks Cocorocky1 - we have just gotten our first appointment - 3rd June. So all going ahead now too. Thanks. I hope you can stand the wait for the next week. It is nerve wracking waiting. It is brilliant you got some frosties. After 4 IVF's I never had any - going the full round each time over. It is brilliant relief to know you have back up. Take care.

Thanks Cocorocky1 - we have just gotten our first appointment - 3rd June. So all going ahead now too. Thanks. I hope you can stand the wait for the next week. It is nerve wracking waiting. It is brilliant you got some frosties. After 4 IVF's I never had any - going the full round each time over. It is brilliant relief to know you have back up. Take care.

Thanks Cocorocky1 - we have just gotten our first appointment - 3rd June. So all going ahead now too. Thanks. I hope you can stand the wait for the next week. It is nerve wracking waiting. It is brilliant you got some frosties. After 4 IVF's I never had any - going the full round each time over. It is brilliant relief to know you have back up. Take care.

holy cow, don't know why my message just did that - sorry, don't know how to delete them.

Good news we got a BFP yesterday I have everything crossed x

Congratulations cocorocky1! That's fantastic news!! Great to hear more good news on this thread!! x

Thankyou glitterfairy 😍

Fantastic news!

I got a notification that there had been a post on this thread and I had a strange feeling it might be good news!!! Many congratulations cocorocky1 - will be sending positive thoughts your way!

Good luck with your appointment IdeRuben not much longer to wait! I hope it all goes well. Funny about multiple posts- at least it keeps the thread going...

Exciting for you, too, Glitter it must be quite nerve-wracking not knowing when you'll hear but I'm sure you are in good hands with Altrui. Looking forward to hearing your news..

I have done precisely nothing. When I had 2 failed IVF last year I didn't really react. I don't think I was expecting much and maybe to stop myself getting really disappointed I switched off. It's only now when I see my hesitation with making a decision that I realise that it did affect me and I'm probably quite worried about getting on this rollercoaster again. I really admire you all for holding your nerve as everyone here has been through a rough time.

I had been totally unaware of how difficult the preparation for IVF would be and the psychological impact of the journey. Even when I was away you are just waiting for the next update about your embryos it just consumes everything about you!! On the Sunday I tested and it was negative- actually the control didn’t come up either I was broken- I cried whilst looking when I could go again at the earliest chance, my husband tried to reassure me but said I can’t keep watching this, this was our first try!!
My heart goes out to you @totalgamechanger and everyone who has ever been on this roller coaster, whilst I’m not a rollercoaster fan I would of got straight back on, so when you have been through two attempts I can understand your hesitation.
I need to tell you that I think you are all amazing and strong to go through this time and time again, my biggest wish is that you all get to hold the dream one day in your arms because you all deserve this so much. I have so much respect for you all

Hi everyone - just checking in to see if everyone is ok/ if there's any news? totalgamechanger , Cocorocky1 and IdeReuben how are things?

Nothing new to report here unfortunately - we're all registered and signed up with Altrui and just waiting to hear from them. Got a message a few weeks back to say that things were slow though but they were getting more enquiries coming in. Finding the waiting to hear pretty hard, esp as there was an unexpected and unplanned pregnancy announcement with SIL this week.

Need to get my nerves of steel back somehow. Hope everyone is doing ok x

Very hard to hear other people's pregnancies especially 'surprise' ones. No one understands - even when they try be kind and understanding. It is rough. Most people have no idea really. Lots of friends of mine tell me about hard to conceive pregnancies - but they did succeed and I have not after many many years and all kinds of interventions and IVF's so not really the same although they mean well - I would never say anything - just accept they mean well.

We are going ahead with Institute Marques - using the Clane Clinic in Ireland. Have done 2 skype appointments so far. All the labs are done in Barcelona - but they freeze the Sperm sample in Ireland and fertilise with the fresh donor eggs in Barcelona. Then freeze embryos at day 5. Same success as fresh embryo in Barcelona, but less difficulty as no synchronising necessary with the Donor and you can transfer when it suits. For us it is easier to nip over to Dublin a couple of times than to sync with the Donor and have to potentially stay for a time in Barcelona. Less stress and the more ease the better. There i
s no delay and you can be ready for transfer in 4-6 weeks after appointment, bloods, and freezing sperm. We are waiting till end of August as it suits us better and planning to transfer end of Oct. All seems so real now. After so many years of heartache I am trying not to think beyond the practicalities of it, and not entertaining the thoughts of success yet.

Good luck with the wait. I hope you have good news soon with finding a donor TheGlitterFairy. xx

Hey all, room for one more to join? Two IVF cycles to date: one resulting in pregnancy but then missed miscarriage last spring and the other cancelled last autumn. Have been struggling to process everything but now reaching a point where we're considering donor eggs as an option. Just joined the DCN and doing plenty of reading up on things at the moment. It's good to read other people's stories and know we're not alone in going through all this.

Tryingtofigurethingsout, welcome.
Lots of stories here and different journeys. What I thought I would consider has changed and it has taken time to figure out what is best for us. It is heartbreaking to think you had made it to then lose your baby, I'm so sorry. I know how it feels. I hope you can start to hope and find a new different way forward to make your family.

Thanks, IdeRuben, it has been pretty devastating. The odds were very much against us all the way we only got one egg from our first cycle, but that one egg fertilised and I successfully got pregnant. Then all was well at our early scan before we were discharged by our IVF clinic, so we were very hopeful. But then, at the very point the odds slowly started to turn in our favour for the first time, I started to miscarry a few days before our 12-wk scan was due. Our second cycle, we didn't even get that far: I couldn't produce any eggs at all and were told not to bothering trying again unless with a donor egg. At that point, we were both pretty adamant that wasn't what we wanted, but as others here have said -- over time you reassess your priorities and what it is you really want. I just want to be a mum, and if a donor egg can help me achieve that, I think I'm ready to go down that route. Don't get me wrong, I'm fucking terrified of the potential for things to go wrong again. I'm not sure I'm strong enough to live through that hell again. But I'm more terrifed of not giving it a go because I think I'd regret it forever.

Tryingtofigurethingsout - I think finally I decided that if there was a way I could be a mother then I had to take the chance - this was 2 years after my last unsuccessful IVF - totally unexpectedly I had two chemical pregnancies during that time and was not ready to give up so after much discussion with my husband we decided to try donor egg. Then at least I could say I tried everything I could. I never thought I would chose to do donor eggs, but time changes your thoughts. From everyone I have spoken to - they say - it won't matter - if, when, you have your baby in your arms. That is my dream.

Tryingtofigurethingsout - you have had a very difficult time, and need to heal, but there can be still hope. It is amazing what we can survive. IVF journey is really tough.

Hi IdeRuben - thanks for replying - that was super sweet of you and I agree on the comments from well meaning friends and family. So pleased that you have a plan in place and your timeframe looks great to be working towards too! Really excited for you!

Welcome tryingtofiguethingsout sorry to hear of your journey so far - bloody hard. I was also adamant at first that I wouldn't be using a donor egg but we came round in time and thought that, if this is the only option - then we wanted to give it a go. Not where I thought I'd be but life throws some random stuff your way sometimes.

Had good news in that a donor has been found! Super excited and a bit scared at the same time too!! Need to sort out the details and timings but YAY!

TheGlitterFairy, that is great news. Very exciting. Wishing you the very best in the weeks ahead.

Thanks IdeRuben - you too!! Good advice in terms of just thinking about the practicalities rather than jumping ahead to (hopeful) success!

Thanks for your kind words, IdeRuben and Glitter, much appreciated. Really great to hear that you're both moving forward positively with your plans. I feel like I'm in the right headspace to go ahead with an egg donor now -- just got to wait for my other half to catch up. He's still processing the idea and it's all I can do not to pester him to hurry up! Ultimately, though, it has to be a decision we both make, so I'm trying really hard not to pressure him; from what he's said so far though, I'm pretty sure we will go for it. I've been in research phase recently, and think we would ideally go with a UK donor via Altrui, but a different clinic from where we were before. Also, I'm finding the DCN is proving to a useful resource, and they've put me in touch with someone who's got a very similar story to mine, but now has two donor-conceived kids. It's so reassuring to talk with someone who's been through all this and who knows how it feels.

Tryingtofigurethingsout, I know exactly what you mean, but your instincts are correct. I was in exactly the same position. Be patient and you will come together to move forward. Remember it will give you a chance to be parents that you don't have now.