Egg, and Embryo Donation in Iran

*These numbers represent the US market and may vary in other countries.

Iran’s egg and embryo donation policy

Regarding egg, sperm, and embryo donation, their regulatory processes are guided by legal and religious principles in Iran. Here are the key points:

A regularity in egg donation:

• Egg donation is a permissible and well-known egg-donation method used in Iran to help those couples who have problems with infertility to reproduce.

• An Iranian donor’s donated egg must undergo full medical and psychological screening and testing.
• The remuneration of the donors is standard in the donating institutes and is usually limited to the time and effort spent.
• Only a few days ago, a new law was enacted forbidding the transfer of fertilized eggs from Iranian donors to foreigners. It is now necessary to obtain embryos from abroad.

A Regularity in Embryo Donation

• Donating embryos is lawfully permissible in Iran, and it is legally well established in such laws as the “Act on Embryo Donation to Infertile Couples.”
• In IVF, embryos should be implanted with the sperm and egg from couples that have legally married.
• Additionally, licensed fertility centers are granted permission to conduct embryo transfers and are subject to monitoring by the Ministry of Health.
• Other steps are necessary, such as adhering to Islamic law and the religious decrees issued by Shiite clerics on the spiritual level.

Requirements and Regulations

•  Artificial fertilization with donors (egg/sperm) is somewhat lawless, as the fatwa on it is not explicitly regulated. Still, some practices have discovered certain fatwas that permit it.
• It is believed that only strict monitoring and control of gamete donations are needed because they involve personal and social aspects.
• The Act and its bylaws state the recipients’ qualifications, rights and responsibilities, procedural formalities, and embryo donation bylaws.

Iranian law generally permits gamete donation, but stipulations are based on religious decrees that must still be adhered to. However, eggs, sperm, and embryos donated in Iran are legal as long as the legal framework is followed; however, given that they have a specific legal framework and another based on religious decrees governing gamete donation, they still need to be followed.

Requirements for an Egg Donor in Iran:

• Age: Between 21 to 29 years old
• Body Mass Index (BMI): Between 19 to 29
• Good physical and mental health
• No history of life-threatening diseases, genetic disorders, or sexually transmitted diseases
• Successful previous pregnancy (preferred but not mandatory)
• Muslim faith (preferred for Muslim intended parents)

Requirements for an Egg Recipient in Iran:

• Age: Maximum age of 45 years old, as pregnancy at older ages can pose risks. Physically and mentally ready for pregnancy
• Financially solid background to afford the treatment
• Healthy reproductive system
• Being at childbearing age

To ensure eligibility, the egg donor undergoes various medical tests, including physical examinations, ultrasounds, blood and urine tests, hormonal assessments, and psychological evaluations. The receiving couple can view the donor’s picture and select a suitable donor based on their family background and appearance.

Before the egg donation process can begin, both the donor and the recipient must provide their consent and may need to sign legal documents. The method includes getting the donor’s hormones to work, retrieving the egg, fertilizing it, and transferring the baby to the recipient’s uterus.