Egg donation is a process where a woman receives eggs from a donor to help her conceive. This option is often chosen by women who have difficulty producing healthy eggs due to age, medical conditions, or other reasons. In Greece, egg donation is straightforward and flexible:
- Donor Types: Donors can be anonymous or eponymous (open-ID). If the donor is eponymous, the child can learn about the donor’s identity after turning 18. If the donor is anonymous, only non-identifying information (like physical traits, age, and education) is shared with the recipient.
- Donor Screening: All egg donors are thoroughly screened for infectious diseases (such as HIV, syphilis, Hepatitis B and C) and genetic mutations according to Greek legislation to ensure safety.
- Age Limits: Egg donors must be below the age of 35, and recipients can have treatment up until before their 54th birthday. For women over 50, treatment requires approval from Greece’s National Authority of Assisted Reproduction.
- Who Can Benefit: Egg donation is available to married couples, unmarried couples, and single women. For unmarried couples and single women, a notarial deed is required.
- Treatment Options: Egg donation can be performed using fresh or frozen donor eggs. The maximum number of embryos transferred is two, which helps reduce risks
The Benefits for International Patients
Choosing Newlife IVF Greece for egg or sperm donation at Newlife offers several advantages for international patients:
Affordable treatment: Greece provides high-quality fertility treatments at a fraction of the cost.
Low travel and accommodation costs: The cost of living in Greece is lower than in many other European countries, and travel costs can be reduced by choosing the off-peak season. Newlife IVF Greece also helps patients find affordable accommodation and travel options to make their stay comfortable and budget-friendly.
Short waiting lists: Greece’s liberal laws and large donor pool mean that most patients can start treatment quickly, without long waiting lists.
High success rates: Greece’s advanced medical technology and experienced clinics ensure high success rates for fertility treatments.
What to Expect During the Process
The egg donation process at Newlife is designed to be clear and supportive:
- Consultation: In your first free consultation, you’ll meet with a fertility specialist to discuss your options and choose the type of donation (anonymous or eponymous).
- Preliminary Tests: Either in Thessaloniki for testing & sperm sample for a two-day stay, or can be performed in your home country. In sperm donation cases, purchase and delivery is finalised at this stage.
- Preparation & Coordination: Donor matching/egg purchase process begins. You remain in continuous contact with our international team and allocated coordinator.
- Treatment monitoring: After donor selection/egg purchase, your treatment plan is set, requiring local monitoring. For fresh embryo transfers, arrival in Greece is required before the donor’s egg collection or before egg thawing.
- Travel to Greece: Either only for a one-night stay arriving in Thessaloniki before your frozen embryo transfer, or for about 8-12 days for fertilisation and fresh embryo transfer (at the blastocyst stage).
- Pregnancy test: Perform a bHCG blood test 9 days after your embryo transfer.
Making the Journey Comfortable
Newlife IVF Greece understands that traveling abroad for fertility treatment can be stressful. That’s why we offer support with accommodation, travel, and even excursions to help make your stay in Greece seamless and enjoyable. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that your experience is not only successful but also comfortable and memorable.
Final Thoughts
Egg and sperm donation in Greece offer a clear, affordable, and supportive path to parenthood for international patients. With flexible laws, high success rates, and a welcoming environment, Greece has become a top destination for those seeking fertility treatments. If you’re considering donation, take comfort in knowing that our team at Newlife is here to guide you every step of the way, making your journey to parenthood as smooth and reassuring as possible.
Georgia Mesochoriti, BSc
Georgia is a Patient Engagement Specialist at Newlife IVF Greece.
