5 Medical Questions to Ask when Considering Egg Donation

Participating in the egg donation process as a donor is a serious undertaking. An egg donor’s physical and mental healthy will undergo serious strain. Below are a few questions to ask when considering becoming an egg donor.

1. Your Costs

While typically the donation process is cost-free for the donor, some clinics require a donor to carry health insurance coverage to protect the donor should any complications arise. It is possible that a clinic or specialist may require a donor to pay up-front costs for medications and procedures that will be reimbursed after the retrieval procedure. Beware of any clinic that charges these costs without reimbursement, or that reimburses only after a successful retrieval.

2. The Names of the Specific Medications

An egg donor must ingest or inject multiple medications over a period of weeks. Prior to beginning any medication course, it is imperative to know which medications you will be taking and any potential side effects. Ask for the exact names of the medications, whether you will be taking the brand name or generic version and for any research regarding their use. It is also smart to ask which medications, if any, you will need to inject and where the injection needs to be made.

3. Plans for Donated Eggs

Prior to donating, ask the specialist what your eggs will be used for. Donated eggs may be fertilized and implanted in a recipient, frozen for later use or dissected for scientific research. If you are donating to help an infertile couple and have ethical concerns with the other possible uses for your eggs, you may not want to donate. Also, inquire about how the specialist or clinic handles eggs that are not used after being frozen for a period of time. Frozen, but aged eggs may be destroyed or donated to science even though donated for use by a specific recipient.

4. Legal Forms

Legal considerations about parental and ownership rights to donated eggs have not yet been concretely resolved and differ according to the state in which a clinic or specialist is donated. Ask what legal forms the clinic uses to absolve a donor of future problems, parental rights and ownership. If possible, obtain a copy of these records to review prior to beginning the medication cycle. Also ask what forms the specialist and recipients sign and if you will receive copies of them after they are signed.

5. Comprehensive List of Medical Testing

Egg donors must undergo several medical and psychological tests prior to being accepted as a donor and beginning the donation process. These tests include a comprehensive physical examination, HIV and other infectious disease screenings and psychological examinations, as well as other potential tests. Ask what specific tests the specialist requires and the timeline for the testing.

Becoming an egg donor can be an extremely rewarding experience, both financially and emotionally. However, deciding to donate also requires intense medical testing, medications and procedures. Prior to becoming a donor, thoroughly investigate and ask your physician any and all medical questions you have.

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