After many repeated attempts at IVF using my own eggs, even though I started at 42, I decided on my doctor's advice to try Egg Donation.We had to find a donor and I was lucky. after placing an ad, to receive three replies within days! One of them was within our state -- NSW which is rare in Australia.

We met and we were all 'virgins' so to speak. It was her first ED (egg donation) and our first attempt at ED. The egg retrieval was on the 20th of November 2002 and the transfer on the 22nd.

The 2-week-wait seemed to take forever and while I had been through several disappointments, this time felt different. I did a HPT which showed a positive blue line on day 10! My ED (egg donor) "H", my husband and I were over the moon.

The blood test on day 14 returned a level of 320 so I was definitely pregnant - first hit! To make a long story short, Nir was born by C-section on the 4th of August 2003 at 38 weeks. I had pleaded with my doctor to leave it another week but he did not want to risk me going into labor and ending up with a ruptured uterus.

Nir was 6lbs 6oz at birth. An absolutely adorable baby. "H" and I are in constant contact. I email her photos and we talk. She is an amazing person and has done ED for several other couples and has considered being a surrogate. While I am Nir's Mum I would never deprive him of a part of his genetic heritage and he will one day meet the wonderful woman without whom his being here would not have happened.

Terri's Story

My husband and I started trying to conceive even before we were married (I was 31), within 2 months I was pregnant, but miscarried at 6 weeks (blighted ovum). I fell pregnant again naturally 3 months later and once again miscarried at 7weeks ( there was even a heartbeat). Completely devastated I approached a fertility specialist who ran all the test and discovered my FSH level was 21.

A month later it shot up to 40, the Dr then informed me that I was in premature menopause. At first I disagreed, as I was still having regular periods, although they had become a little scanty, but he advised me that there was nothing he could do aside from egg donation. I was lucky to find some one and within 3 months of my "diagnosis" I was pregnant with twins. To my horror, at 5 months I lost one of my precious boys (who would have thought that i'd have to go through more loss?). I managed to carry his brother till 38 weeks with some prem labour and lots of bed rest. My beautiful son is 15 months old and thriving.

I breastfed for 4 months and had to go back to work. I fell pregnant naturally the following month. Again, I miscarriaged at 7 weeks. My period had been quite regular but scanty. My gynecologist mentioned a young patient of hers who had come to her diagnosed with POF (premature ovarian failure), with FSH levels in the 70's and in full menopause (no period, hot flashes and confirmation of her condition by at least 3 doctors), but who had then gone for regular acupuncture and reflexology and within 2 months had a period and the following month she fell pregnant, she now has a healthy 2 year old daughter.

Needless to say I contacted the patient, got the number of the homeopath and started my sessions. I'm some what of a sceptic when it comes to alternative medicine, but I reckoned I had nothing to lose. I started in December and by the end of the month I had a much heavier period. Again in January my period was heavier than it had been for ages (I must admit I was a quite disappointed when I wasn't pregnant in January). By March the 21st, to be exact, I was pregnant. Three months of nervous, freaked out hell and we discovered I am going to have a boy, I am now 18 weeks pregnant and everthing is looking great, still slightly anxious-can't wait for the birth). The point is not to give up, quite honestly I had resigned myself to only conceive with donated eggs or adoption....goes to show you never know.

Dalia's Story

I was 37 when I first tried to conceive. We knew it was kind of late, but didn't think it would pose a serious problem. After 9 months of trying, I went for tests but they found nothing. We decided to go to a fertility counselor who recommended various natural methods for improving fertility, but I didn't get pregnant. Additional tests showed that I had benign tumors in my uterus. I had an operation to have the tumors removed. The operation was a success and we believed that our problem had been solved. It was a full year later when we turned to IVF.

My ovaries barely responded to treatment and only during the third cycle were there enough eggs to justify aspiration (even then there were only four). Of the four, only two survived the aspiration and neither of the remaining eggs was fertilized. The doctor said that my eggs were old and of low quality and that it was futile to continue trying using them. I took it very badly. I was only 41. One doctor suggested that perhaps the tumors had contributed to the early aging of the eggs.

When we understood that we would not be able to contine with my ova, we decided to find out about egg donation. The medical center explained the need to synchronize cycles with the donor... It took another few months until we were notified that a donor had been found. In the meantime, I took medications that made the necessary synchronization possible. As it happened, the donor had a large number of eggs. Eight were given to us. Six were fertilized and four continued to develop.

We discovered that taking care of twins was really as difficult as we had thought it might be... but far more rewarding than we ever could have dreamed. We had a difficult time deciding what and when to tell the children and our friends and family, much like parents who adopt a baby. We came to the decision that it is best to be open with the children and that they grow up with egg donation as a natural part of their lives.