Updated at: 07-11-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

Egg donation, or the gift of an egg cell, is the act of knowingly and willingly allowing another party to use one’s own egg cell for scientific or therapeutic purposes.

In exceptional cases, such as infertility or the need for more research into the female reproductive system, this treatment is a common choice.

Although costly, this is a viable option for women who have experienced a loss of healthy egg cells. It also has one of the highest success rates of 49%-50%. In addition, it is convenient because it is offered by the vast majority of medical facilities today. You have to know more about this topic, so delve into this article deeper if you’re interested!

What is egg donation?

It’s pricey, but it’s one of the most effective ways to deal with a lack of healthy egg cells. Among the highest success percentages, it sits comfortably between 49% and 50%. Most medical facilities provide this service, therefore it is also convenient. You should read this article in further detail if you’re interested in learning more about this subject.

Requirements For Egg Donation

The first step in understanding what egg donation is is to gain an understanding of what goes into the process. Since this is a medical operation, much care must be taken to prevent problems that could jeopardize the participants or cause unnecessary expenses.

#1. Selection process

First and foremost, one must pass a selection process to become an egg donor. All the basic information the clinic needs to determine if you’re a good candidate for treatment is here.

Personal data

Likely, you’ll have to fill out some kind of personal information form. These questions, which are designed to help the clinic assess potential dangers, require answers that are as honest and specific as possible.

Egg Donation: Everything you need to know | Dunya IVF Fertility Clinic

Drug and blood test

These examinations are typical in the medical field. Donating eggs is risky since the blood used can be a source of infection for a variety of disorders. If you pass the examination, you will be released to continue with the process.

Sonogram for potence

Donating an egg cell requires that it be fertile, as its primary function is reproduction. These cells will also be used to a number of uses, all of which will benefit greatly from their robustness. As a result, a sonogram is essential for determining fertility.

Psychological test

The donor’s mental health will be evaluated with a psychological examination. Pregnancy is a typical outcome for those who receive donated eggs. Some mental disorders run in families and may do more harm than good for the person who inherits them. Not to mention, having your eggs donated is a huge decision, and for a written contract to be valid and legal, the donor must be sound of mind when making this huge step.

Disease screening

In addition, you must not be infected with any illness that could compromise the extraction process or endanger the health of others. To make sure, they will do a battery of tests and scans.

#2. Medications

The clinic will supply you with the necessary drugs to put an end to your menstrual cycle. You should always ask about potential side effects and check for allergies before taking any new medication.

#3. Fertility drugs

Fertility pills are medicines that stimulate your ovary to produce more eggs. By doing so, you can ensure that your body will create a sufficient number of eggs for the surgery.

#4. Use contraceptives or abstain from sexual intercourse

You can’t get pregnant when you’re donating eggs. Having so many egg cells in your body increases the likelihood of fertilization and pregnancy. Donating eggs puts your life and the life of your unborn child in peril. You have the option of using a condom or refraining from sexual activity while the extraction is in progress.

Where Do The Eggs Go?

After being extracted, your egg might go to either the fertilizer or the freezer.

Laboratory

If there are people on egg waiting lists, it’s likely that your cells will be sent straight to the lab. In this environment, they will be fertilized before being placed into the recipient. The instantaneous utilization of these eggs is essential. An option is for the giver to meet the receivers. On the other hand, you can make a donation while remaining anonymous if you like.

Freezer

Eggs, however, are used for something else, so what happens to them? Before anything else, they’ll probably be moved into a freezer. And this is for a while until they are needed. Now, this usually happens for research institutions that buy eggs to study. The eggs are stored at low temperatures until the experiment is ready to take place. This method is used instead of direct fertilization by donor banks, which store eggs until someone buys them. It may be a good idea to read how long is the egg donation process.

What exactly happens during the egg retrieval process?

The complete procedure is broken down into the following steps:

  • Application. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, donors must first satisfy the standards established by the fertility clinic. Donors of human eggs are required to be between the ages of 21 and 34. People who have already donated eggs successfully or have children may receive further remuneration from some facilities.
    • Examinations of the Physical Kind
    • checkup for women
    • testing of blood and urine
    • gathering your family’s medical history
    • Analytical Psychology
  • Acceptance/matching. A family in need of a donor egg must also be a match for you. Your approval is required before we can move on with the actual egg donation procedure.
  • Medications. According to the National Health Service (NHS), you will take hormonal drugs to stimulate your ovaries and mature your eggs for the first 10–12 days of your donation cycle. Self-injection is required for these drugs. You will be shown how to administer the injections in person before doing it on your own. The levels of certain hormones in your blood may also be tested.
  • Retrieval of the ova. Doctors use hCG as a “trigger shot” if they determine that an individual’s eggs are mature enough to implant. After 34 to 36 hours, as recommended by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, you will have the retrieval procedure done. According to the National Health Service, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes for the needle to gently extract the eggs from the ovaries. Sedation is used during retrieval to ensure that the process is painless.
  • Recovery. As the sedative wears off, you can experience some confusion. Follow the doctor’s orders as best you can while you’re healing. In general, the day after the retrieval process should be spent relaxing and recuperating.

In the following step, the eggs can be frozen or combined with the sperm of the donor to form embryos. Embryos are put into the uterus of the biological mother or a surrogate.

Is egg donation safe?

Yes. Under medical supervision, egg donation poses no significant dangers to the health of the donor or the recipient. If you’re having fertility problems, this also applies, so long as you don’t have any complications.

According to a meta-analysis conducted in 2015, young adult females typically have between 400,000 and 500,000 eggs. Therefore, using as many as 24 eggs every donation cycle over the course of multiple cycles will still leave enough of eggs for future use.

There are, however, some immediate dangers to keep in mind throughout the donation process. Among these potential dangers are:

  • Pregnancy. If you have sex without a condom or other barrier method during your medicated cycle, you may risk becoming pregnant. The medication you take to prepare your eggs enhances your fertility, making pregnancy more likely.
  • Female infertility caused by uterine twisting. Ovarian enlargement can cause the reproductive organ to twist. Ovarian torsion describes this condition. Extreme discomfort is possible, and surgery may be required to remedy this unusual consequence.
  • Infection. Infections following egg retrieval are theoretically feasible. Research from 2010 found that the risk of infection following retrieval was only 0.4%. However, it was reduced to 0 percent with the use of prophylactic antibiotics. Speak with a doctor if you are concerned about infection.

How painful is recovery?

Infection. Infections following egg retrieval are theoretically feasible. Research from 2010 found that the risk of infection following retrieval was only 0.4%. However, it was reduced to 0 percent with the use of prophylactic antibiotics. Speak with a doctor if you are concerned about infection.

  • Uterine discomfort
  • The dreaded stomach cramps
  • spotting

The good news is that your pain should start subsiding the day of or within a few days of the retrieval surgery.

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Painkillers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen are available over-the-counter (OTC), and your doctor can recommend the best option for you. Some people find relief from stomach pain by using a heating pad.

Immediately seek medical attention if you experience high body temperature, profuse bleeding, or any other signs of infection.

What are some tips to prepare for egg donation?

Egg donation preparation is quite similar to IVF preparation. The first step is to take care of oneself by adopting a healthy routine.

Clinics specializing in fertility, such as the CNY Fertility Center, advise their patients to focus on the following for three months before to egg retrieval in order to ensure the highest quality eggs possible:

  • Include fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy grains, lean protein, and other essential nutrients in your daily diet. Be sure to drink lots of water and other noncaffeinated beverages to maintain proper hydration.
  • Practice moderate physical activity on a regular basis, such as walking, swimming, or yoga. To complement your egg retrieval operation, you can also get individualized advice on how to exercise.
  • Keep away from harmful substances including alcohol, recreational drugs, and tobacco.

Establishing a group of people who have your back is also beneficial. Having supportive loved ones close by might be comforting during the emotionally and physically taxing process of egg donation. If you need help getting to and from appointments or have any other needs, your support group can provide for you.

One must always inquire first. Fifty-five percent of women in a 2020 poll of egg donors said they did not feel they had adequate information about the potential health consequences of donating. Understanding and reducing your risk of issues is possible with the help of information and guidance from your doctor or fertility clinic.

Egg donation is governed by laws on both the state and federal level. You should consult your clinic for any state-specific information that may be relevant to you.

Though they share your DNA, children born from an egg donation are not considered your children for legal purposes. Any official papers, such as a birth certificate, will have the intended parent named as the guardian.

Before the actual procedure begins, these specifics should be spelled out in any contracts you sign. If you want to make sure you’re protected and get paid fairly for your egg donation, it’s a good idea to work with lawyers to draft a formal agreement.

There may be provisions in the contract for egg donation covering:

  • The intended parents, not the egg donor, are responsible for issues of custody and parenting.
  • Is it expected that the egg donor will maintain contact with the children that were born from her donation?
  • given that the donor prefers anonymity
  • talks between the donor and the recipients’ intended parents regarding medical matters (if necessary)
  • where and when the egg collection will occur
  • how much, and when, the donation will be paid for
  • how travel, medical insurance, problems, and other associated expenditures will be paid for

Be sure to ask yourself how much (if any) involvement you would want after your donation. Your rights are protected once you sign your agreement. And as the donor, you should have your own attorney. Tulip Fertility says that this does not come as a cost to you. Instead, the intended parents should cover these fees.

The takeaway

Before making a donation, think about how involved you want to be in the process. Once you sign an agreement, your rights are safeguarded. And you, the donor, should have your own lawyer. This, according to Tulip Fertility, is provided at no additional cost. These costs ought to be shouldered instead by the prospective parents.

Ask yourself what level of follow-up you’d like after making a donation. Once you sign a contract, your rights are secured. You, the donor, should have legal representation of your own. According to Tulip Fertility, there would be no additional expenses for this. They should be paid for by the prospective parents.

FAQs

How is the recipient prepared for the embryo transfer?

You should consider how involved you wish to be after making a donation. The moment you put pen to paper on an agreement, your rights are safeguarded. Moreover, as the donor, you’re entitled to your own legal representation. Tulip Fertility insists there is no additional fee for this service. Instead, these costs should come from the prospective parents.

Who should consider using an egg donor?

Before making a donation, think about how involved you want to be in the process. Once you sign an agreement, your rights are safeguarded. And you, the donor, should have your own lawyer. This, according to Tulip Fertility, is provided at no additional expense. These costs ought to be shouldered instead by the prospective parents.

Who can become an egg donor?

Egg donors are women, usually between the ages of 21 and 34, who are willing to provide their eggs to a recipient. They may be anonymous (unknown) or known to the intended parents. Anonymous donors are recruited through egg donation programs or agencies and are not known to the recipient. However, some couples find donors through advertisements. Recipients should be cautious about recruiting donors without the use of an intermediary to screen the donors and should strongly consider seeking legal counsel. Known (also called directed) donors are generally a close friend or relative of the recipient.

Why should I choose the UCSF Egg Donor program?

The UCSF Egg Donor Program is part of the UCSF Center for Reproductive Health, a compassionate and innovative program staffed by a diverse interdisciplinary team that has expertise from some of the top programs in the country. All of our physicians, who have extensive experience, are board-certified in both obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. We have been helping patients become parents using donated eggs since 1991 and were one of the first programs in the Bay Area to do so. Because the UCSF Egg Donor Program only provides eggs to UCSF patients, you will receive all your care in one setting contrary to the egg donor agencies that may send you to donate at various locations that may all have different processes.

What is the compensation?

After each egg donation cycle is complete, we compensate donors with $14,000. This covers their time, effort, and transportation costs. You won’t be out of pocket for the preliminary medical examination that comes before organ donation, and you can take a copy of the results of any and all tests for your own files or to share with your doctor if you like.

Donating eggs has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the donors’ mental and emotional health, which is often cited as “compensation” by those who participate in the program. It’s satisfying to know that you’ve completed someone’s family.

Can you describe the whole process?

  • Our team will examine your questionnaire and contact you to set up a time for the screening. The first step is to schedule appointments with a psychotherapist, a genetic counselor, and a reproductive endocrinologist. The reproductive endocrinologist performs a physical exam which includes a pelvic exam and cervical cultures; other blood tests will also be drawn at this visit. Blood tests include screening for infectious diseases and carrier status for specific genetic diseases, and reproductive hormone levels.
  • The screening process will be scheduled after our team has read your form. The first step is to schedule appointments with a psychotherapist, a genetic counselor, and a reproductive endocrinologist. The reproductive endocrinologist will undertake a full physical examination, including a pelvic exam and cervical cultures, and will also draw blood for additional testing. In addition to checking for infectious diseases and genetic disease carrier status, blood testing can also check for the levels of reproductive hormones.
  • Acceptance into the UCSF Egg Donor program makes you a potential egg donor, and your profile will be made available to patients at the UCSF Center for Reproductive Health who are interested in undergoing a donor egg cycle. Your photos and personal information will be seen to potential patients in a private setting. When we mention you, we just use your first name to keep things private.
  • Once a recipient has chosen you as their egg donor, UCSF staff will teach you how to prepare and administer your injectable medications.
  • Your doctor and the nurse coordinator will coordinate your cycle with the recipient’s when you’re ready to move forward. The first step is to take birth control tablets for a few weeks (so that your cycle matches up with the recipient’s). Next, you’ll receive injections of lupron, a drug that temporarily stops your ovaries from working normally. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is then injected to stimulate egg formation; this hormone is comparable to those naturally produced by the body just before ovulation.
  • You will be given a detailed calendar which describes when to take your medication and when to come in for blood tests and ultrasounds. You will have short visits to the UCSF Center for Reproductive Health between 7:00am and 10:00am on approximately 7-10 mornings during a two week period. These visits include taking a blood sample and vaginal ultrasound to assess your progress. The egg retrieval is done at the end of the 2 week monitoring period and is performed transvaginally, using a light general anesthetic, given through an IV. You will need to have someone with you to drive you home after the retrieval, and will need to allow yourself a day for recovery when the retrieval is performed. Most donors can resume normal activities the next day, although occasionally the recovery period takes longer. Once the retrieval is performed, you will receive compensation for your time, travel and efforts.

Are there any restrictions during the process?

During the egg donation process, conception is possible. During the donation process, you will be advised on any necessary precautions (such as sexual abstinence).

For the duration of the egg donation process, your ovaries will grow significantly. Until several weeks have passed since your egg extraction, please refrain from high-impact sports like jogging, mountain biking, leaping, etc. In about a month, your ovaries will shrink back to normal size.

Can I become pregnant during treatment?

Yes! After starting hormone medication and until 3 weeks have passed since your egg retrieval, you should not have sexual contact with anyone. By doing so, you can avoid having an unplanned baby and make sure your cycle continues as expected.

Will this impact my ability to have children and will this deplete my source of eggs?

No. The procedure itself does not have any impact on your future ability to have children. Females are born with approximately two million eggs. Each month in a woman’s life a group of eggs begin the maturation process, but the body selects only one egg each cycle to ovulate while the rest are absorbed by her own body. Fertility medications “rescue” a portion of these excess eggs that the body would have ordinarily discarded.

Can I still work and/or go to school?

No. You will not lose your fertility because of this surgery. Approximately two million eggs are present in a female’s ovaries at birth. In a woman’s monthly cycle, a number of eggs begin the process of maturity, but only one egg is chosen to ovulate. The other mature eggs are absorbed by the body. Some of these extra eggs that the body would normally destroy are “rescued” by fertility drugs.

What are my responsibilities if I agree to become a donor?

No. Simply having the surgery done will not affect your fertility in any way. Females have roughly two million eggs at birth. The maturation process for a woman’s eggs begins every month, but only one egg is chosen to ovulate at each cycle. The other eggs are either destroyed or absorbed. Fertility drugs “save” some of the extra eggs that would otherwise be eliminated as waste.

When you make the decision to donate your eggs, you are waiving any and all parental rights to the offspring of that donation.

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Will the recipients know me or meet me?

In the majority of cases, neither you nor the people you help will have any idea who the egg donor is. The information about you that is passed along to the recipients is anonymized. Your blood type, your parents’ ethnicity, your height, weight, body type, eye color, hair color and texture, your education level, your profession, your hobbies, and your family medical history, to name a few identifying characteristics, will be shared with patient couples. Any images you submit will be seen to prospective donors. Your last name, street address, phone number, and e-mail address will not be disclosed to the receivers.

When it comes to egg donation, we strive to accommodate the individual preferences of both the donor and the receiver. It has been brought to our attention that some donors and recipients are interested in seeing one another, and we would be happy to facilitate this if everyone involved is amenable to it. You’ll be asked in the application if you’re willing to meet the parents of the kids you’re sponsoring as well as the kids themselves when they reach adulthood.

Can I donate more than once?

Yes. If your first cycle of egg donation is successful, we would love to have you return for another donation. If you’ve previously been through the first screening procedure, donating again can take less of your time. The maximum number of times a donor can give eggs is 6, for obvious reasons. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine has developed these recommendations.

It’s A Wrap!

Having read this, you should have a better understanding of egg donation. Learn more about the inner workings of the topic if you’re interested in getting involved. Making a donation is a big decision. If you want to know how much egg donation costs and how the process itself works, my friends, you should read up on relevant articles. Have fun!