Learning about egg donation takes some time. It is the process by which a woman (an egg donor) donates several of her unfertilized eggs (oocyt) to be utilized in the process of in vitro fertilization.
The eggs from the egg donor are donated to the recipient female, sometimes an individual but usually part of a couple referred to as Intended Parents for the purpose of helping to conceive a child in a situation where the prospective mother is unable to provide an egg capable of fertilization.
The first thing about egg donation is that is usually considered somewhat of a last resort for prospective parents. Typically, they have attempted a number of other strategies to become pregnant, but have been unsuccessful.
Most do not learn about egg donation as a potential solution until they are informed by their doctor or perhaps they have discovered the process by researching on the internet.
Elements about egg donation to consider:
The first element to learn about egg donation is that selecting an ideal egg donor is the key to the success of the process. When searching for an egg donor the intended parents will usually want to find an egg donor who has similar characteristics similar to theirs, such as ethnicity, hair color, eye color, and
body type.
The second element about egg donation is answering the question,
“How do intended parents find the right egg donor?” Since there are literally thousands of females who are willing to be egg donors, before intended parents proceed very far into the process, it is highly advisable to find a large, diverse egg donor database from which they can choose a potential egg donor. The most practical approach to learning what you need to know about egg donation as a process is to find an experienced, reputable egg donation agency to assist the intended parents through sharing complete and objective information about egg donation. The right egg donation agency will have an egg donor data base where they have full demographic profiles, including health, history, education, interests, and photos, of hundreds of potential egg donors.
With a minimal amount of screening, the intended parents can learn enough about egg donation even more by gaining access to search and view the egg donation agency egg donor database. Some agencies charge large fees just to view their database where others are more workable up front. Ask a lot of question before you pay ANY fees.
The next element about egg donation is the need to understand that the egg donation process involves extensive medical and psychological evaluation to increase the success rate of the process. Once the intended parents have selected the right egg donor, then the egg donor will go through extensive medical screening and complete a psychological evaluation. The medical screening will test for all infectious diseases. The donor will also meet with the nurse who will explain in detail all about the egg donation process.
The fourth element about egg donation is that the use of legal contracts is highly advisable. Once the selected egg donor has completed her initial medical screening and psychological screening the prospective egg donor should enter into a legal contract with the intended parents. The contract ensures that there is informed consent to the donation and that donor fully understands the about the egg donation process, risks, and legal ramifications.
The fifth aspect about egg donation that cannot be taken lightly is the required use of proper medication. The egg donor will then take birth control pills which will suppress her menstrual cycle. Then, she will take injections of Lupron which is a hormone that will help increase her number of mature eggs. She will be monitored by the physician through a series of blood tests and ultrasound tests. As one can imagine, this is an involved process that takes some time.
The next aspect about egg donation is the execution of the retrieval process. Once the right quantity of eggs is fully mature then the procedure to retrieve the unfertilized eggs is performed in a doctor’s office under light anesthesia. The retrieval is accomplished through a simple, ultrasound guided outpatient procedure which only takes about a half hour. A needle is inserted into the egg donor’s ovary to gently withdraw the eggs. Then the eggs will be fertilized before being placed in into the recipient’s womb.
This is just a brief summary about egg donation.
There is much more detail to learn about egg donation it is an important, complex process. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the process and help the reader begin to become more knowledgeable so they can make wise decisions.
For more information about egg donation, please contact:
Cresta Davila – Program Director – Giving Hope LLC
To read more about choosing an egg donation agency visit:
Egg Donation Agency – 10 questions to ask before choosing an egg agency
