Premature menopause
In premature menopause (POF – Premature Ovarian Failure), no fertilisable eggs of the woman's own are available any more.
Egg donation at the Wunschbaby Institut Feichtinger in Vienna and Baden.
One possible form of treatment for an unfulfilled wish for a child is egg donation. It has been legally permitted in Austria since 2015 – women can choose this therapy up to their 45th birthday.
Overview
Who can egg donation help?
Egg donation can help women who cannot become pregnant with their own eggs to have their much-wanted baby. Possible reasons for which we carry out egg donations are premature menopause (POF – Premature Ovarian Failure), repeated unsuccessful IVF attempts with a severely reduced ovarian reserve, or when no healthy embryos could be obtained from the woman's own stimulations.
Indications
When we carry out an egg donation.
Unsuccessful IVF attempts
After repeated unsuccessful IVF attempts with a severely reduced ovarian reserve.
No healthy embryos
When no healthy embryos could be obtained from the woman's own stimulations.
Medical background
How egg donation works medically
In an egg donation, two treatment paths run in parallel: that of the donor and that of your own uterus. Both must be precisely synchronised in time – and this is exactly the organisational core of this therapy.
For the donor
The donor undergoes hormonal stimulation of the ovaries, just as in a classic IVF treatment. Once the follicles have matured sufficiently, the eggs are retrieved in a short, outpatient procedure. Every donation is preceded by extensive medical examinations and detailed counselling – including on the legal consequences of her consent.
Fertilisation in the laboratory
The donated eggs are fertilised with your partner's sperm – usually by means of ICSI, because this technique works precisely with individual sperm cells and fertilisation succeeds reliably. The resulting embryos are cultured and assessed in the laboratory over several days up to the blastocyst stage.
For you: preparing the uterus
Your uterine lining is built up with hormones so that it is optimally receptive at the time of the transfer. The transfer itself takes only a few minutes and requires no anaesthesia. Afterwards, hormonal support is continued until the pregnancy test and the first ultrasound checks have taken place. A pregnancy after egg donation then proceeds like any other pregnancy – accompanied by your gynaecologist.
Fresh transfer or frozen cycle
Depending on the constellation, the transfer takes place in the same cycle, or the embryos are first frozen and transferred in a specially prepared cycle. The frozen cycle takes the time pressure out of the synchronisation and can be planned well. We discuss in advance which path is more favourable for you.
Legal framework
Egg donation in Austria: the legal requirements
With the amendment to the Reproductive Medicine Act, egg donation has been permitted in Austria since 2015. The legal framework is clearly defined:
- The woman in whom the pregnancy is to be brought about must not yet have completed her 45th year of age at the start of treatment.
- Eggs may only be retrieved for a third person from the donor's completed 18th to her completed 30th year of age.
- Egg donation is permitted if the woman's own eggs are not capable of reproduction.
- Treatment is possible within a marriage, a registered partnership or a cohabiting relationship.
- Before treatment, in-depth notarial counselling on the legal consequences of the consent is provided for.
- Anonymous donation is not permitted: from the completed 14th year of age, the child can receive information about the identity of the donor.
- Surrogacy is prohibited in Austria – egg donation is only possible for the woman who carries the pregnancy herself.
As of 2026. Legal requirements and their practical implementation continue to evolve; in the consultation we clarify the details for your personal situation. You can also find an overview on our page about the legal framework.
The procedure
Your path to egg donation – step by step.
How long the path takes depends on the donor selection and your preparation. At every step, we tell you what comes next.
1
First consultation and assessment
We review all previous findings, check the medical indication and discuss openly which prospects are realistic. This includes a gynaecological examination, an assessment of the uterus and a semen analysis of your partner.
2
Counselling and notarial advice
You receive detailed medical counselling. In addition, notarial counselling on the legal consequences of the consent is provided for – for both partners.
3
Donor selection
We present you with a profile that suits you – or you bring a donor from your personal circle, provided she meets the legal requirements.
4
Cycle synchronisation
The donor's stimulation and the build-up of your uterine lining are coordinated in time. In a frozen cycle, this synchronisation pressure does not apply, because the embryos are already frozen.
5
Fertilisation in the laboratory
The retrieved eggs are fertilised with your partner's sperm and cultured over several days. You receive ongoing feedback on their development.
6
Embryo transfer and follow-up care
The transfer takes place without anaesthesia and takes only a few minutes. Afterwards, we accompany you through the hormonal support, the pregnancy test and the first ultrasound checks.
Non-anonymous donation: the legal rules in Austria
In most countries where egg donation is permitted as a treatment option, it is carried out anonymously. In Austria, however, only "open donations" are possible: on completing their 14th year of age, the child can learn the identity of the donor.
Donor selection
We cooperate with internationally renowned egg banks. All donors must undergo the strict examinations laid down by Austrian law. This allows us to guarantee the optimal donor for our patients. It is, however, also possible to bring a donor from your own circle – for example a family member or friend, provided she has not yet reached her 30th birthday.
Consultation
In our first consultation you will receive all the necessary information about egg donation – on preparing for the treatment, donor selection, the course of the therapy, timing aspects and the planned embryo transfer.
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with our egg donation specialists! You can also find further information at eizellspende-oesterreich.at.
Selection and safety
How a donor is selected.
Examinations and suitability
Every donation is preceded by extensive examinations: hormone status and assessment of the egg reserve, gynaecological examination, infection serologies as well as human genetic testing and counselling. Personal suitability and an understanding of the significance of the decision are also carefully assessed in the counselling interview.
The Wunschbaby Institut Feichtinger has its own on-site genetics laboratory. Findings therefore stay in-house – without detours, with a personal explanation of the results.
What is considered in matching
In the matching process, we pay attention to blood group as well as external characteristics such as hair, eye and skin colour, height and build, so that the child "fits into" your family. Any form of selection based on characteristics beyond this medically and family-related sensible framework is excluded.
You can also bring a donor from your personal circle – such as a sister or friend – provided she meets the legal requirements. This variant needs to be considered particularly carefully; we talk about it with everyone involved, separately and in detail.
Emotionally well supported
The question that occupies many couples most
For many couples, the bigger hurdle is not the medicine but the feeling: will the child really be "my" child? Almost all women who consider egg donation ask themselves this question. It is legitimate, and it deserves an honest answer – not a placating one.
Legally, the matter is clear: the mother is the woman who gives birth to the child. Biologically, too, your pregnancy contributes more to the child than was long assumed – you shape its entire development in the womb. And in practical terms, parenthood arises where a child grows up, is carried and is loved.
Because Austria only knows non-anonymous donation, we recommend treating the story of how your child came to be as part of your family story from the very beginning. Experience shows that children cope well with this knowledge when it has been a topic early on, in an age-appropriate and matter-of-fact way – not as a late secret. We take time for these conversations, gladly more than once and before you make a decision. You can also find background on having children later in life on our page Late motherhood.
Our own egg and sperm bank on site
As a pioneer of reproductive medicine in Austria since 1982/83, we co-developed the technique of cryopreservation in 1991 – the foundation of every modern egg donation. We have our own sperm and egg bank as well as our own genetics laboratory. More than 30,000 children have been born with our support.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about egg donation.
Is egg donation permitted in Austria?
Yes. Egg donation has been legally permitted in Austria since 2015. It is subject to conditions: the recipient must not yet have completed her 45th year of age at the start of treatment, eggs may only be retrieved from the donor's completed 18th to her completed 30th year of age, and treatment is possible within a marriage, registered partnership or cohabiting relationship (as of 2026). We clarify the details in the consultation.
Up to what age is egg donation possible?
The law provides that the woman in whom the pregnancy is to be brought about must not yet have completed her 45th year of age at the start of treatment. Independently of this, we always also check medical suitability for a pregnancy – for example blood pressure, metabolism and the condition of the uterus. This assessment is made individually.
Does the donor remain anonymous?
No. Austria only knows non-anonymous donation. From the completed 14th year of age, the child can receive information about the identity of the donor. This does not mean that the donor plays a role in family life or has rights towards the child – the legal mother is the woman who gives birth to the child.
Can I bring a donor from my own circle?
Yes, that is possible – for example a sister, another relative or a friend, provided she has not yet reached her 30th birthday and completes all the prescribed examinations. We conduct the counselling interviews with everyone involved carefully and separately, because such a constellation must remain sound in the long term.
Is IVF or ICSI performed with the donated eggs?
How long does it take to find a suitable donor?
This depends on your requirements and the availability of suitable profiles and cannot be stated in general terms. We keep you transparently informed about the current status and contact you as soon as a profile that suits you is available. We use waiting times for your preparation, so that no time is lost afterwards.
Can egg donation be combined with sperm donation?
That is a question of the individual case and clearly regulated by law. If sperm from a third person is to be used, separate requirements apply. Please talk to us – we examine your constellation and tell you openly what is possible in Austria and what is not (as of 2026). Our page on the sperm and egg bank provides an overview.
Does a pregnancy after egg donation proceed differently?
The pregnancy itself proceeds like any other and is looked after by your gynaecologist. In the early phase, we continue the hormonal support and monitor closely. As with any pregnancy at an advanced age, we pay particular attention to blood pressure and glucose metabolism – that is part of normal prenatal care.
Your next step
Let's talk about egg donation.
Our specialists will be happy to advise you personally and without obligation.
Or call us: +43 1 877 77 75