What to Expect
Below, please find an outline of all steps taken by both prospective parent and donors during an egg donation cycle.
Once you have selected a donor candidate...
- The donor candidate’s availability is verified and the donor candidate accepts or declines this egg donation cycle.
- The recipients review and sign contracts and return with the initial payment --administrative fee and psychological evaluation fee – and estimated travel for initial medical exam if donor resides outside recipient’s metropolitan area.
- Donor will participate in a psychological evaluation.
- The donor will undergo a medical evaluation, including a blood draw and a transvaginal ultrasound usually on CD3 (cycle day 3) of the donor’s menses.
- The donor and recipient cycles are synchronized by use of birth control pills.
- The donor will administer the down-regulation medications for approximately
10 days.
- The donor will administer follicle-stimulating hormones for
approximately 10 days.
- During this time, donors attend, on average, 5 monitoring
appointments at which the donor will receive a blood draw (to check hormone
levels) and / or an ultrasound (to monitor follicular growth).
- The donor will have an hCG injection (human chorionic
gonadotropin), which will trigger ovulation approximately 36 hours later.
- For the retrieval, the donor will travel to recipient’s
clinic. The eggs will be retrieved through an ultrasound-guided needle.
- A semen sample is collected from the recipient father or sperm donor.
- Embryo transfer, after fertilization, is performed three to five days later.
Glossary
Psychological Evaluation
The Minnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory, or MMPI, is the most commonly
performed test of mental health professionals in the United States. It is comprised
of a series of questions with yes or no answers. The evaluation aids psychologists
in determining the personality and emotional traits of the individual being examined.
The results of the evaluation will help the psychologist determine if egg donation
is recommended for the donor candidate
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Down Regulation Medications
These medications stimulate the female hormones initially, then suppresses a woman's
secretion of FSH and LH, thus creating a pseudo menopause. These medications have
been found to increase the number of follicles, oocytes (eggs), and embryos obtained,
with a decreased chance of cancellation of the cycle.
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Follicle Stimulating and Luteinizing Hormones (Gonadotropins)
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) are not necessary
for life, but are essential for reproduction. These two hormones are secreted from
cells in the anterior pituitary called gonadotrophs. In the female, they are responsible
for stimulating follicular growth.
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Monitoring Appointments
These are generally early morning appointments, approximately 15 minutes in length.
These are mandatory donor appointments. The donor’s blood is drawn to measure hormone
levels and / or the donor will undergo an ultrasound to monitor follicular growth.
These monitoring appointments allow the physician to increase or decrease the dosage
of hormonal injections, depending on how the donor is responding to the gonadotopins.
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Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Injection (hCG)
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) stimulates the body’s normal LH surge, causing
the final maturation of the eggs. This medication is given by injection. When the
majority of the follicles reach a mature size, the hCG injection(sometimes called
"the trigger shot") is given to the donor, which causes ovulation approximately
36 hours later.
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Retrieval
The egg retrieval (aspiration) will take place at the prospective parents’ clinic,
and the donor is usually under conscious sedation or light sedation (twilight sleep).
Some centers may also use local anesthesia. The eggs are retrieved with an ultrasound-guided
needle.
The retrieval process usually takes about 20-30 minutes. Due to anesthesia, the
donor will need to be driven home and rest the remainder of the day. Most donors
return to work/school the day following the retrieval.
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