Egg share woman helps two others conceive

Fertility history was made in the UK when one woman's eggs helped two others and herself become pregnant under an egg sharing scheme. Egg sharing schemes are carried out at a handful of fertility clinics in the UK and involve a woman receiving free or discounted in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment for sharing her eggs with other women on the waiting list. Until now, successful egg sharing has only taken place between two parties - the donor and the recipient.

The three women were all treated at the Cromwell Hospital in London. The donor mother received free treatment and the two others are believed to have split the £2,500 treatment fee for one cycle of IVF. Each is three months pregnant and expecting a healthy baby.

Egg sharing narrowly escaped a ban last year after a last minute change of heart by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which regulates infertility treatment in the UK. It decided the scheme was beneficial but should be tightly controlled to ensure the anonymity of all parties involved.