Doctors for

Initial consultation and sperm freezing: Around DKK 2,000

Startup fee: Around DKK 3,000 (Covers donor search, document coordination, and payment processing. Due when you sign the consent forms and are placed on the waiting list)

Additional costs to consider:

The following are sometimes not included in the package price. Confirm with your clinic what your package covers before you book.

For your total budget, add the above to accommodation (around DKK 750 to DKK 1,100 per night in Aarhus), local transport, and flights. You will need to visit Aarhus twice.

Success rates for donor egg IVF in Denmark

The clinic has been running its donor egg program since 2016. Here is what the data shows:

1. Per recipient: 91.89% positive hCG; 66.67% ongoing pregnancy
2. Per transfer: 51.39% positive hCG; 37.28% ongoing pregnancy
3. Average transfers per recipient: 1.8
4. Average recipient age: 43 years

The per-recipient figures are the most meaningful for patients planning treatment. With an average of 1.8 transfers, over 66% of recipients achieve an ongoing pregnancy. The average patient age of 43 also puts these results in context: these are not easy cases, and the success rate reflects a well-run program.

One guarantee worth noting: the clinic quarantines one blastocyst. If a viable blastocyst is not achieved, you receive a new donor attempt at no additional cost.

How does the donor matching process work in Denmark?

Because egg banks are not permitted in Denmark, the clinic coordinates each match individually. Once you have signed the consent forms and returned your questionnaire, you are placed on the waiting list. The clinic will then identify a suitable donor based on your physical profile and preferences.

You are presented with one donor at a time. The information shared depends on the type of donation:

1. Open donation: birth year, blood type, hair color, eye color, height, weight, ethnicity, and education or occupation. In some cases a baby photo is available if the donor has chosen an extended open profile
2. Anonymous donation: birth year, blood type, hair color, eye color, height, weight, and ethnicity
3. Non-anonymous, non-contactable donation: same physical details as anonymous, with some donors having provided additional written information or a baby photo

All donors go through the following screening before approval:

1. An interview to uncover any family predispositions to illness
2. Physical examination including an ovarian scan
3. Mandatory testing for HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and HTLV
4. Assessment of egg reserve

What is the process for donor egg IVF in Denmark?

Because coordinating donor and recipient cycles simultaneously is complex, the clinic uses a freeze-all protocol:

1. The donor is treated first
2. Eggs are retrieved and fertilized on the same day
3. Embryos are cultured for 5 to 6 days to blastocyst stage
4. Blastocysts are frozen
5. Your cycle is then planned and prepared separately
6. Transfer takes place once your endometrium is ready

This approach means your treatment is not dependent on your cycle and the donor's cycle lining up perfectly. It also gives the embryology team time to assess blastocyst quality before transfer.

You will need to visit Aarhus twice:

1. First visit: blood tests and sperm freezing
2. Second visit: embryo transfer

Required blood tests before treatment:

For both partners:

1. HIV
2. Hepatitis B (HBs antigen and Anti-HBc)
3. Hepatitis C (Anti-HCV)
4. Syphilis

For the female partner additionally:

1. TSH, TPO, Prolactin
2. Rubella
3. Chlamydia

If you have results from the past six months from an EU-approved laboratory, the clinic can use these and you will not need to repeat them.

Is donor egg IVF legal in Denmark?

Yes. Egg donation is fully legal in Denmark and regulated under the Assisted Reproduction Act. Denmark is one of the few countries that offers patients a genuine choice between anonymous and open donation.

Key legal points:

1. Egg banks are not permitted. All donation is coordinated through live matched donors
2. Treatment is available up to the recipient's 46th birthday
3. Both anonymous and open donation are legal
4. Open donors agree that donor-conceived children can request identifying information when they turn 18
5. Donor compensation is limited to reasonable expenses, not commercial fees
6. Single women and same-sex female couples can access donor egg IVF at private clinics

Donor egg IVF in Denmark: frequently asked questions

Why does Denmark not allow egg banks?

Danish law requires that egg donation be altruistic and coordinated on a match basis. The prohibition on egg banks is rooted in ethical principles around commodification of human tissue. In practice, it means more preparation time and a waiting period, but it also means fresh eggs from a matched donor rather than frozen eggs from an anonymous bank.

How long is the waiting time?

You might find a donor within 2 weeks or 2 months. Typically, most people find one within 1-4 months.

The waiting period begins from the date you sign your consent forms and are formally placed on the list. Anonymous donation is faster because the pool of willing anonymous donors is larger.

Can I choose between open and anonymous donation?

Yes, and this is one of Denmark's genuine advantages over many other destinations. If you want your child to have the option of knowing their donor's identity when they turn 18, open donation makes that possible. If you prefer full anonymity, that is also available. Most clinics in Cyprus, Mexico, and Malaysia only offer anonymous donation.

What happens if no viable blastocyst is produced?

The clinic quarantines one blastocyst as a quality checkpoint. If a viable blastocyst is not achieved from the donor cycle, you receive a new donor attempt at no extra charge. This is a meaningful guarantee given the additional coordination involved in a live donor program.

Do I need to travel to Denmark for the full cycle?

No. You only need to be in Aarhus twice: once for initial blood tests and sperm freezing, and once for the embryo transfer. The donor's cycle and the embryology work happen in between without requiring your presence.