Latest statistics from the UK’s fertility regulator HFEA* have confirmed that donor-assisted conception is now a significant part of fertility treatment and births; in particular, there has been a notable rise in IVF using donor eggs amongst women over 50, with a 67% increase in the past decade of patients between 51 and 55.
Due to a wide range of factors, more women are deciding to have children at older ages and advances in reproductive technology have provided opportunities to make this possible.
This is a trend we have seen reflected in our patient population at NOW-fertility.
Our patients have varying approaches around anonymity for donor eggs – some preferring anonymous donors, as is the case in Spain, and others opting for non-anonymous or known donors, which is possible in the UK. Through our network of clinics we are able to meet our patients personal preferences.
The question of whether to use fresh donor eggs or frozen eggs from an egg bank is an individual choice and one that is especially relevant when time is of the essence due to age.
Of course, with advanced age comes increased risks, and so patients attending those clinics within our network where treatment over 50 is possible need to meet strict medical criteria to minimise the chance of complications for either mother or baby.
Emotional and psychological factors play a role in any treatment with donor eggs, and implications counselling is key to understanding these.
*HFEA – Fertility treatment 2024: trends and figures, June 2026
NOW-fertility coach Stephanie Toulemonde explains:
‘Implications counselling offers women a safe space to truly explore what treatment with egg donation means for them, including the grief of the genetic connection with their future child. For those who do choose this journey, being accompanied in this reflection allows them to gently dismantle the false belief that ‘real’ motherhood requires a genetic link, and to realise that they will shape their child’s development in ways that are uniquely and irreplaceably theirs.’
