An egg donation cycle may seem fairly straightforward, but even for healthy, fertile females, problems can occur and an egg donation cycle might fail. Knowing the reasons for this can help both the donor and recipient cope and make the necessary changes for a successful harvesting.
In order to achieve a productive egg donation cycle, both the donor and recipient’s menstrual cycle must be coordinated. To this end, a donor is taught how to self-administer the required medications. First, the donor takes birth control pills to synchronize her cycle to the recipient’s. Next, daily doses of gonadotropin (GnRH) agonists are administered to suppress ovulation. Throughout this process, the donor experiences blood tests and vaginal sonograms to assess the progress.
In about four weeks, the donor stops taking the birth control pills and has a menstrual period synchronized to the recipient’s. At this point, the egg follicles are stimulated to produce eggs, and when the follicles are fully developed, the donor injects herself with human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) in order to prepare the eggs for separation and retrieval. The timing of the injection of hCG is paramount to the success of the retrieval.
The process is complex and timing is crucial. At any point the egg donation cycle can fail, for a number of reasons. Here are the top 3 reasons that may happen:
1. Timing
The egg donation cycle is time consuming and intense. There are daily injections, frequent doctor’s visits for ultrasounds, blood draws and examinations. Missing one injection or one trip to the doctor, and the entire egg donation cycle can be derailed. Donors need to be aware of the time commitment and decide if they are able to take time away from work or their own family in order to accommodate the requirements.
2. Side-Effects of Medication
A donor is required to inject herself with a variety of hormones designed to prepare the eggs and uterus for a successful retrieval. These medications can cause side-effects that range from the uncomfortable to serious enough to stop the process. The side-effects include hot flashes, fatigue, sleep problems and body aches, among many others. The follicle-stimulating hormone can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), in which the ovaries are over-stimulated, causing serious medical complications such as blood clots, kidney failure, and could result in a life-threatening situation. Donors must be carefully monitored when taking this hormone.
3. Pregnancy
If a donor engages in unprotected sex during the egg donation cycle, she could become pregnant herself. Some eggs are released before retrieval, or the doctor may not retrieve all of the fertile eggs. Donors must take all precautions to prevent pregnancy through the egg donation cycle process.
The egg donation cycle is complicated and fragile. At any point the process could fail, therefore, strict adherence to the procedures and requirements by both the donor and recipient is imperative for successful retrieval of the eggs.
