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Step 1: Preliminary Stage
- As the egg donor, you'll complete and submit an
application providing detailed information
regarding your medical history, family health history,
past and present drug and medication usage, and child
bearing history. You also provide information
regarding educational background, as well as your
talents, hobbies, and a basic biography.
- Once approved for our egg donation program, your
profile and photo is placed in our secure egg donor
database for Intended Parents to view.
- Once selected to be a donor by an Intended Parent,
we will mail you a contract. We will also coordinate your egg donation process.
- You will consult with an attorney of your choice for
an independent legal consultation. The Intended Parents
contribute $500.00 toward this legal consultation.
- You begin the medical screening phase which
includes a pelvic exam, vaginal ultrasound, blood tests
to screen for infectious diseases, drug screening,
cervical cultures for gonorrhea and Chlamydia, and
hormone blood tests to predict ovarian response.
- You also undergo psychological testing including an interview with a psychologist and a
specialized personality inventory test called the MMPI
(Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory).
- Your local fertility clinic physician will discuss
the egg donation process in detail with you.
Step 2: Egg Donor Cycle Synchronization
- Following completion of Step 1, you'll be put
on birth control to synchronize your cycle with the
recipient’s cycle to prepare your body for the egg
retrieval for at least 14-21 days. During this
process you will see your fertility clinic
physician for ultrasound examinations and blood
tests to monitor the development of your donor eggs.
- Medical personnel from the fertility clinic will
instruct you regarding your birth control pills to
help regulate your hormone levels and to prevent
ovulation.
Step 3: Suppression
- You will be instructed to stop taking birth control
pills and begin taking Lupron. Lupron is administered to
prevent you from ovulating spontaneously during the
stimulation process. You may be required to take Lupron
for approximately 14-21 days. You will continue Lupron
until about two days prior to the egg retrieval.
Lupron is given daily by a small injection just under
the skin. Ice or a local anesthetic may be used to numb
the area for the injection. Medical personnel from the
fertility clinic will instruct you in detail regarding
your injections.
Step 4: Follicle Stimulation
- A woman normally develops and releases one egg per
month during ovulation. You will begin taking injectable
stimulation medications, called gonadotropins, once or
twice daily for about 14 to 21 days prior to egg
retrieval. They replace your natural
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to trigger a very
precise, uniform stimulation which induces your ovaries
to produce several mature eggs. You will be instructed
when and how to take of each injection.
- Ultrasounds will track the number and size of your
follicles and blood work will determine your estrogen
levels.
Step 5: Egg Retrieval
- When your follicles are mature, you will be
instructed to take the hCG injection. This
injection helps eggs mature, preparing them for
retrieval. Egg retrieval occurs approximately 36 hours after your hCG
injection.
- During the week of the egg retrieval, your eggs
will be monitored by ultrasound and blood hormone
levels to determine your response to the stimulation
drugs. These appointments can be completed before
work or school.
- The egg retrieval process is a painless
procedure which takes about 20-30 minutes with about
an hour recovery at the clinic. You will undergo an
oocyte (egg) aspiration, which is performed with a
needle passing from the upper vagina into each
ovary. This procedure will extract the eggs and is
performed under ultrasound guidance. You will have
intravenous sedation for comfort.
- After a brief recovery from the anesthesia, you
will be able to go home. You must have a companion
drive you home. You will rest for
the remaining portion of the day. You'll also need to
refrain from unprotected sexual intercourse until
the completion of your next menstrual cycle, as you
will be extremely fertile and unwanted pregnancy
could occur.
- Your menstrual period should begin approximately
14 days after your retrieval.
Step 6: Fertilization and Embryo Transfer
- Once the eggs are removed from the ovaries
they are immediately examined and placed in a
special incubator. Sperm are then added to each
egg where fertilization should occur.
Approximately 16- 20 hours later the eggs are
inspected to check for fertilization. If
fertilization is successful, the embryos may be
transferred into the recipient’s uterus.
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Risks and Side Effects
You may experience some bloating, infection,
and/or reaction to the anesthetic medication(s).
Bleeding is usually minimal and infection is
unlikely as an intravenous antibiotic is
routinely administered at the time of the
procedure.
Most donors experience personal satisfaction
from giving infertile couples the opportunity to
have a child and begin a family. Many egg donors
return for egg donation again.
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