When is a donor egg used?

Donor eggs are an option for women who cannot produce eggs or for whom egg quality is an issue. Another woman donates her eggs to be used for an IVF procedure. The woman using a donor egg becomes the biological mother to the offspring, but she doesn't share the child's genetic make-up. However, if the male partner's sperm was used in the fertilization process, the child shares his genes. Approximately 50-60 percent of patients will have a successful pregnancy from using donor eggs. This procedure is used most often by women over 40.