Legal donor-egg treatments in Greece

Greek regulations governing the application of assisted reproductive technology operate in compliance with applicable Law 3305/2005, passed in 2005.

It stands for one of the most well-developed laws within Europe. The Law was drafted taking into account the best interests of the child as a primary consideration, as well as the set of bioethical principles related to assisted human reproduction.

IVF with donor eggs in Greece

Controversial techniques such as egg donation and/or sperm donation, as well as surrogacy, are some examples of techniques allowed in Greece and regulated under the above mentioned law.

IVF using donor eggs

When an individual person or couple needs donors eggs to be able to have a child, they have no choice but to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF). Criteria or requirements established by law in relation to the performance of IVF with donor eggs in Greece are:

• Donors must remain completely anonymous and act in an altruistic manner, although a reimbursement of expenditure derived from the egg donation process is allowed.
• Egg donors must be aged between 18 and 35.
• Potential egg donors must be medically and psychologically screened, so that both their physical and emotional health are guaranteed.
• The recipient of donor eggs, which is to say, the intended mother is the legal mother of the unborn child, but she cannot be above 50 years of age.
• Double-donor IVF is allowed, i.e. using both donor eggs and donor sperm, as well as embryo adoption.

These are the requirements set out by Law 3305/2005 as regards in vitro fertilization using donor eggs. No particular mention is given to the type of fertilization technique of choice, which means that choosing between one technique or another (conventional IVF or ICSI) will depend on each particular situation.

If it is a case of severe male factor infertility, the technique of choice will be ICSI. Also in cases of fertilization failure when using conventional IVF or if some alteration likely to complicate the fertilization process is detected in the eggs, such as a thickened zona pellucida.

Surrogacy in Greece

Greece is included within the small group of European countries with a set of regulations that favor surrogacy. Thus, both straight couples and lesbian couples can have access to this technique, thereby leaving out single men and same-sex male couples.

Gestational carrier in Greece

Be it as it may, unmarried couples and single women must notify their marital status through a notarial deed, as established in Law 3305/2005. Besides, the surrogacy process can be started following approval by a judge.

The intended mother must prove that she is unable to become pregnant, as well as not being aged above 50. As for the surrogate, she cannot be the same woman who donates her eggs in case the intended mother is unable to use her own gametes.

Finally, it should be noted that commercial surrogacy is totally forbidden. However, intended parents will have to refund the expenses derived from the pregnancy and delivery processes, as well as work days lost by the surrogate during the gestation period.