If the ovaries do not produce eggs at all, or if the eggs are of such weak quality that they cannot be fertilized or developed, one alternative is to use donor eggs.

The causes for problems in the ovaries may be congenital (for example chromosome errors) or those which develop later in life (e.g. endometriosis, premature menopause, causes due to chemotherapy or age). The carefully screened donor undergoes a similar hormonal treatment as in in vitro fertilization in general. After the eggs have been retrieved, they are fertilized with the sperm of the recipient's spouse. The fertilized eggs are then transferred into the uterine cavity of the recipient. The recipient also undergoes hormonal treatment, the purpose of which, in this case, is to prepare the uterus to receive the embryos. This hormonal treatment involves a combination of estrogene (tablets or patch) and progesterone (vaginal tablets) and normally continues through to the 10th week of pregnancy. The success rates with egg donation treatment are equal to those of in vitro fertilization in general and the spare good quality embryos which are not transferred can be frozen.