Many individuals and couples worldwide experience fertility issues, preventing them from achieving their dreams of having a family to call their own. Donating your eggs is an incredibly selfless gift, where you are giving another family a shot at being able to have the baby of their dreams. In this article, we explore the egg donation process further, including how long it takes, the criteria for egg donors, and more.
What Is Egg Donation?
Donating your eggs is a big decision to make! It’s an incredible gift you can give to someone who wants to start their own family but is unable to. Egg donation is when a woman or the donor gives her eggs to another woman or recipient to have a baby. The process can be lengthy with many variables, so it’s not uncommon for individual donation processes to have varying time frames.
Criteria For Egg Donors
Potential egg donors are rigorously screened before being accepted into most programs. Reputable clinics want to ensure that the person donating is in good health, has an appropriate family medical history, and much more.
The criteria for ELITE IVF patients to be considered for becoming egg donors includes: being between the ages of 18 and 34, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and weight, having regular monthly periods, and being committed to the egg donation process before getting started.
Egg Donor Screening
We welcome you to fill out an online application if you meet the criteria. Once your initial application is approved, you’ll have to complete a more extensive one before being matched with your recipients.
Medical Screening
Once your paperwork is completed, there will be a few different medical screenings you’ll need to do. In the fertility screening, the ovaries are examined to ensure they are in good health and can produce eggs. There will be blood tests and a pelvic exam. To determine ovary health, an internal ultrasound will likely be done during menstruation.
A general medical screening will be completed that will involve testing for overall health, any infectious diseases, blood type, and drug use.
A family medical history will be part of the screening process to bring attention to any potential hereditary diseases or genetic disorders. You’ll undergo more blood tests to check for diseases like sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, thalassemia, and more.
Psychological Screening
Before proceeding, the donor will speak to a psychologist to ensure she understands and has explored risks and benefits involved in the egg donation process and has the proper motivation.
Egg Donor Matching Process
Before the egg donation occurs, you will be matched with a recipient. You’ll speak to a fertility specialist coordinator that will help you through the process. Once your medical screenings have come back clear, you’ll be entered into our database. ELITE IVF provides the recipient with details of your physical attributes and background if they request it. To ensure fertility, donors must undergo one egg collection cycle before they are matched.
Egg donation is typically anonymous, as donor confidentiality is legally protected when both the donor and the recipient sign consent forms during the application process. The donor can retain their privacy in the future when the forms are signed.
If you choose to have an open donation, that provides access to information about the donor to the parents or the child once they reach the age of 18. The donor and recipient have complete control of whether they want to participate in either donation throughout the process.
Egg Donation Cycle
Every egg donation process is different. It typically takes three to five weeks or around eight appointments with ELITE IVF. Our team of coordinators and specialists is available every step of the way for both donors and recipients.
To retrieve the egg, the donor must undergo two to three weeks of hormone injections and take the proper medications. Once you’re ready for the egg retrieval, you’ll come in for the procedure.
Egg Donation Timeline
- If you’re interested in becoming an egg donor, please fill out our online application.
- Once approved, you’ll fill out a more comprehensive set of applications.
- You’ll undergo a consultation and screening.
- Once you have become an approved donor, you’ll be matched with a recipient.
- Once you’ve been matched, your and the recipients’ cycles will be synchronized to prepare for the embryo transfer.
- You’ll begin the IVF cycle preparation to mature your eggs.
- When your eggs mature, the egg retrieval process can take place 34-36 hours later. The retrieval appointment will only last around 20 minutes. Still, you’ll need to arrive an hour before the appointment and may need to stay for monitoring afterward.
- Once the eggs are retrieved, they are fertilized with the intended parent’s semen, and the resulting embryo transferred to the recipient or frozen for future use.
At ELITE IVF, our ultimate goal is to help hopeful couples and individuals expand their families. Egg donors are a vital part of this process, and we have much appreciation and gratitude for individuals who take on this selfless act. If you’re interested in becoming an egg donor or want to inquire about the IVF process for yourself, contact us today.
