ABSTRACT
Human egg (oocyte) and embryo donation was fi rst introduced in 1983 and has evolved over the past three decades into a relatively common procedure that addresses a variety of reproductive disorders. This method has provided key insights into the physiology and pathophysiology of reproduction and, like other assisted reproductive techniques (ART), has engendered its share of controversy. Furthermore, techniques introduced by egg donation, such as schemes for adequate hormonal preparation of the uterus for synchronizing embryos with a receptive endometrium, have been successfully applied to other fertility therapies, including the management of patients with cryopreserved embryos for transfer and those requiring in vitro maturation of immature oocytes.
