How does one become an egg donor?

How wonderful that you would like to explore egg donation. You can find a plethora of information about the egg donation process here: http://www.fertilityproregistry.com/articles/paths-to-parenthood/egg-donation/. I hope this helps.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Egg donation is a part of in vitro fertilization (IVF), which involves stimulation of a donor's ovaries to promote the maturation of multiple eggs. The eggs are then retrieved and donated to an intended mother, who is unable to conceive using her own eggs. After the eggs are retrieved, they are fertilized in the embryology laboratory with sperm from the intended mother's partner, or a sperm donor, to create embryos. Typically, one or two of these embryos are transferred to the uterus of the intended mother. This process has a high chance of resulting in a normal pregnancy and a healthy child. The rest of the viable embryos are usually frozen to give the couple another chance at pregnancy if the first transfer is not successful. Frozen embryos may also be transferred in the future if the couple wishes to have another child.

There can be many reasons why a woman might need the help of an egg donor to become pregnant and carry a healthy baby to full term. Most commonly, egg donation is a successful treatment option for infertile women who do not produce enough normal eggs, have malfunctioning ovaries, have entered menopause prematurely or have had several unsuccessful IVF treatments using their own eggs. Some women will also elect to receive donated eggs because they are aware of an increased risk for inherited disease in their biological offspring. Egg donation is unlike adoption, in that the intended mother has the special opportunity to conceive, sustain a pregnancy, give birth and breastfeed her child. This unique experience allows for special bonding as a couple, as parents and as a family.

Compassionate and responsible women, usually between the ages of 21-29 years old, with good health and a desire to help an infertile couple have a baby often consider donating their eggs. Women in this age range who have a favorable medical and family history will have eggs of better quality than women who are older. Certain rules concerning who can donate are set in place to increase the chance that a pregnancy will result and to make the process safe for both the donor and recipient. Guidelines made by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) should be carefully followed to ensure the privacy, safety and well-being of everyone involved.

Giving the gift of motherhood is not a simple process, which is one reason egg donors are so generously compensated. Because of the thorough screening process, detailed planning and careful medical attention given to our donors and recipients, the actual egg donation will happen no earlier than four to six months after you first apply to be an egg donor, and will depend on when you might be selected to be a donor. Using our own in-house egg donor agency as an example, here are the steps you will likely be asked to complete.

Initially, you will be asked to complete a preliminary online application to determine whether or not you meet the basic eligibility requirements. Eligible applicants will then be contacted by our agency coordinator to schedule a 10-minute phone interview, during which the information submitted through the online application will be confirmed and any questions the applicant may have will be answered.

After the phone interview, you will be asked to complete more detailed medical and family history online questionnaires, as well as answer questions about your physical characteristics and personality. Upon completion of the online application, your information will be carefully reviewed by our medical staff. If you are determined to be a suitable candidate for egg donation, your completed questionnaires will be used to build your anonymous egg donor profile, which potential recipients will review as they consider you as a potential egg donor.

If your comprehensive online application is approved, you will be asked to come to our office for a preliminary medical screening, which consists of an appointment with one of our physicians, who will conduct a vaginal ultrasound to examine your ovaries and ensure they are healthy and functioning normally. You will also need to have a blood test on the second or third day of your period to measure the hormones FSH and estradiol, which are associated with your fertility and reproductive health. Our laboratory will also collect a urine sample for a drug and nicotine screen. You will also meet with our Donor Agency Coordinator and have a consultation with our Agency Coordinator. The process of egg donation will be discussed with you in detail and you will learn about the rules and policies you will need to follow if you decide to become an egg donor. Your medical and family history will also be reviewed along with the risks, obligations and responsibilities associated with being an egg donor.

If you are accepted into the program after screening has been completed, you will be given an anonymous ID number and added to the registry of pre-screened egg donors. It is from this registry that the intended parents select potential donors and review non-identifying information about them.

Published on Jul 11, 2012