Surrogacy Concern has been quoted in The Times as our research reveals a sharp increase in the number of women in their fifties pursuing pregnancy using ‘donor’ eggs.
Even more concerningly, HFEA statistics released to Surrogacy Concern under Freedom of Information legislation and reported in today’s Times, reveal that women in their sixties are also embarking on pregnancy using ‘donor’ eggs.
We think this is a hugely irresponsible and regressive development, and are urging the Government to introduce an age limit for use of donor gametes in British fertility clinics.
It is deeply unfair on the donor conceived child to be born to a mother in their fifties or sixties: we are asking authorities to place far greater consideration on the rights and needs of donor conceived children.
We are also concerned that the growing trend in older women purchasing ‘donor’ eggs places ever more pressure on young women to donate their eggs in risky egg retrieval procedures in exchange for £985 ‘compensation’. Adverts seeking egg donors do not have to list health risks and counselling is not mandatory before egg retrieval for donation takes place: something we want to see change. Egg donors can be as young as 18 years old, and no long term studies have been undertaken in the UK on the health outcomes for egg donors: all points our founder made to the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee inquiry in to egg donation and freezing in an oral evidence session in February 2026.
We urge the Government to take action, and in the meantime for British fertility clinics to do the responsible thing and introduce a sensible age cap for use of ‘donor’ gametes in fertility treatment.
