Patient Story

The seminar helped me choose London Egg Bank for IVF with donor eggs

I knew I could not conceive naturally, and many doctors have suggested donor eggs, but I didn't know which clinic to go to. 

I saw an advert for a webinar about fertility over 40 on Instagram and decided to come to the seminar at the London Egg Bank in London Bridge. I was amazed by the level of professionalism of the staff and the depth of their knowledge. Talking with them and being able to ask questions helped me choose London Egg Bank for IVF with donor eggs. 

When considering the criteria for choosing a donor egg, I asked the matching officer who was selecting the donors to choose a donor who looked closest to me. The donor's age was also important for us as we had an unsuccessful IVF cycle with a very young donor previously abroad, so I wanted to make sure not to go for a very young donor this time. The appearance and physical characteristics were more important for us than the ethnicity or nationality of the donor.

It wasn't an easy decision to have IVF with donor eggs

To some extent, it has been an emotional journey especially since I had five miscarriages in total after IVF and two with donor eggs. I don't think anyone choosing to have IVF with donor eggs takes the decision lightly, and there are always doubts, hesitations and emotions involved, but once you hold your baby in your arms, nothing else matters.  

Looking back, I had many hesitations. The idea of using another person's eggs and conceiving a baby not biologically mine filled me with doubts. I was concerned about what she/he would look like, their health, what if they had some health issues from the donor family history, and didn't know how I'd feel giving birth to a baby who is not 100% biologically mine; now that I have delivered my baby, the bond between us is indescribable, and I don't even think that she is from a donor and not 100% biologically mine. She is unequivocally my child. I carried her for nine months, I breastfed her, and I cared for her. Nothing else matters now. 

When I look at her and see her beautiful smile, nothing else matters

The bond between us is incredible. I didn't have a single moment of doubt. The bond is there from the moment you see and hear the heartbeat during the ultrasound scan. When I look at her and see her beautiful smile, nothing else matters, and I don't even think she was conceived from a donor egg. My husband feels the same, especially as she resembles him so much!

I am planning to tell her the details of her conception. There are storybooks you can buy that tell a similar story, so you can start telling them from a very early age.  

Thinking about our egg donor, I would have told her, "Thanks a lot for helping me get pregnant. I wish I could meet with you and give you a big hug. You are an amazing person. I would never have the gift of motherhood without your help.” 

My advice to people embarking on the Egg donation journey

If having a baby is what you truly desire, go for it and don't overthink whether you bond with them or how they will look. Once you’re pregnant, the baby becomes part of you. When you hold them in your arms, they are completely yours, no matter how much of your genetic material they share.