Egg donation is the process by which a donor woman provides one or several (usually 10-15) eggs (ova, oocytes) for purposes of assisted reproduction in ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology).
For assisted reproduction purposes, egg donation involves the process of in vitro fertilization as the eggs are fertilized in the laboratory.
A need for egg donation may arise for a number of reasons. Infertile couples may resort to acquiring eggs through egg donation when the female partner cannot have genetic children because she may not have eggs that can generate a viable pregnancy.