Today, motherhood transcends biology. The fact that our child does not carry our DNA does not make him or her any less ours, nor does it imply that our motherhood will be any different.
It’s not that we won’t see our own characteristics reflected in it. Donation only means that another woman is going to help us achieve the pregnancy that we are unable to achieve naturally.
However, it is normal to have some questions when starting an egg donation treatment: What will the girl who will donate her eggs be like? What tests will they do? How will they select her? Will my baby look like me? We will answer them for you.
The law
Spain hasuna de las leyes de reproducción asistida mejor reguladas y abiertas de Europa. El marco legal español garantiza la confidencialidad y obliga al anonimato cruzado en la donación de óvulos: la donante no podrá conocer la identidad de los futuros padres, así como estos tampoco podrán conocer la identidad de la donante.
Selection
The selection of the donor for the recipient is carried out in the clinic by a multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses. Candidates for donation must meet certain requirements:
• Age not exceeding 30 years.
• Good physical and mental health.
• No history of genetic or metabolic abnormalities.
• Not being in a disadvantaged social situation.
• Not being adopted.
The donor undergoes analysis and gynecological examinations to determine her health status and to be medically assessed. She also undergoes a complete psychological interview.
These details will appear on your donor’s file, which is as complete as possible. It includes your race, blood type and physical characteristics. Once all the results are in and the medical staff give their approval, the donor becomes part of the donation program.
Genetics
As a complement, a genetic compatibility test is performed to determine the mutations that the baby may carry. We can detect up to 16,595 different mutations. We minimize as much as possible the chances that the baby will have a genetic alteration.
Physical resemblance
We take into account the physical characteristics of the future mother and the donor: height, weight, eye color, hair color and texture, skin color and type. We consider facial and body features to ensure that they fit as closely as possible.
A compatible blood type is also assigned so that the newborn’s blood type results from the combination of those of its future parents.
Oocyte quality
Let us not forget that we are seeking a guaranteed pregnancy, so the quality of the donation is a fundamental criterion. Control and supervision of the procedure allow us to obtain eggs in good quantity and quality so that the treatment is successful.
Psychological aspects
You should know that education, intellectual and educational level, beliefs or interests are not considered determining factors. Upbringing, education and interactions with your child’s social circle will be what influences these characteristics of your child.
Influence of the environment
In addition to genetics, the environment can also influence a child’s appearance. Environmental and parenting factors can contribute to the expression of certain traits. And here comes something important: the mother-child bond will be transcendental. Because, in addition, experience tells us that many mothers who have received egg donation have been surprised by experiencing a very strong and unparalleled emotional and affective bond with their children.