Being An Egg Donor Requires A Time Commitment
Part of our donor approval process is to ensure that potential donors are willing and able to commit to the donation process, which, once chosen by a recipient, spans approximately four to six weeks. Donors should expect to make approximately seven clinic visits during their retrieval cycle and stay home from work or school the day of the retrieval. Our donor coordinators work with your schedule as much as possible.
Donor Faq: Can I Get Pregnant During Fertility Treatments
- Posted On: Oct 23, 2019
- Asian Egg Bank
Not only is it possible to get pregnant during fertility treatments, its actually likely. Therefore, it’s important that while donors are undergoing fertility treatments, they do not have intercourse. Due to your heightened fertility potential and the possibility of pregnancy, we require donors refrain from sexual intercourse until after the egg retrieval.
Become An Egg Donor By Filling Out Our Online Questionnaire
If youd like to donate your eggs to a family in need, thats great! Youre doing one or multiple people an invaluable service. Please complete our online questionnaire to see if you qualify.
To schedule an appointment or learn more about Reproductive Gynecology & Infertilitys donor egg program in South Cleveland/Independence, Columbus, Akron, Canton, Youngstown and other Ohio communities, call today. You can also request an appointment using the form on this page.
To Request an Appointment Call Or Use Our Easy
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What Happens During The Donation Cycle
As mentioned earlier, the donation cycle itself involves many medical appointments, blood work, ultrasounds, and injections of fertility drugs.
You will be given very strict instructions on when to give yourself the injections. You will also most likely be told not to have sexual intercourse during and just after the egg stimulation process.
If you want to get a detailed idea of what to expect, read about IVF treatment or the process for egg freezing. As a donor, the treatment protocol is very similar to that of a woman going through IVF with her own eggs.
The primary difference is that with IVF treatment, after egg retrieval, there is an embryo transfer. With egg donation, egg retrieval is the last medical procedure for you. The embryo transfer will take place with the intended mother or a surrogate.
Legal Implications For Egg Donors
The legal status of egg donation varies by country. In the U.S., it is legal for a woman to donate eggs either anonymously or not. It is also legal to receive financial compensation for donating eggs.
Egg donation clinics will require all donors to sign a contract that ensures they have no legal rights or responsibilities to any resulting children or embryos.
Although the woman who receives the egg will not be a genetic relation of the child, legal documents will record her as the birth mother.
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What Is It Like Donating Your Eggs
Its a quick procedure done under anesthesia and most women go back to normal activities the next day. Of course, the experience can very from person to person even from cycle to cycle. My first donation was easy. I didnt have any physical discomfort at all, two-time egg donor Deaven Williams, 27, told INSIDER.
Will I Go Through Menopause Early If I Donate Some Of My Eggs
No. The ovaries contain approximately 400,000500,000 eggs at the time of puberty. Only 400500 of these will develop to the point of ovulation during the course of the womans childbearing years. The remaining 399,500 eggs undergo a process called atresia. This means that they fail to mature and are gradually absorbed by the body between puberty and menopause.
Because of the large number of these spare eggs, there is no evidence to suggest that the use of fertility medications or egg donation will decrease the egg reserves in such a manner as to lead to premature menopause.
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All Types Of Women Donate Eggs
Levine says he sees many 22-year-olds, fresh from college, who are looking to pay off some of their student debt, as well as actors and artists looking to augment their income, and sometimes people who are very spiritual who dont want children personally, but want to know that there are children they helped make.
Experience Deep Satisfaction By Helping A Struggling Couple Have A Child Of Their Own
Because the primary factor that influences whether a woman can get pregnant is age, donor eggs from women in their peak fertility years can be the key to starting a family. We only select the most qualified women for egg donation, ensuring each child has the best chance of continuing to term and living a healthy, happy life.
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What Are The Donor Egg Success Rates By Age
The donor egg success rates over 40 drop drastically by the year. When using donor eggs with IVF, the success rate is dependent on the donors age, the embryos quality, the number of embryos transferred, your uterus health and luck. Up to the age of 42, the positive outlook for chances of pregnancy is at 50%, the pessimistic view is at 30%, between 43-45 the chances are between 30%-45%, the chances of donor egg pregnancy after the age of 50 is minimal but possible. Clinics dont commonly offer treatments like donor eggs beyond the age of 55. It is recommended that you talk to your doctor about pregnancy after menopause with a donor egg.
Signing On The Dotted Line: Legal Considerations
An essential part of egg donation is signing legal agreements. In many cases, the clinic or agency will have a lawyer representing their side, but they may or may not mention that you have the option of hiring your own lawyer.
Its highly recommended that you hire your own lawyer to protect your interests, and have that lawyer carefully review the contract before you sign. This is something youll likely need to pay for yourself, but its worth the expense.
Questions and issues that should be addressed in your contract include :
- What legal rights or duties do you have in regards to any child that results from your egg donation? .
- How much compensation will you receive?
- How will that money be held and at what points will it be distributed during the egg donation process?
- What happens if the cycle is canceled?A cancellation can happen because of medical reasons and may occur up to the day of the egg retrieval.
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Qualifications Of An Egg Donor
West Coast Egg Donation conducts an intensive and thorough screening process before a woman is able to join our egg donor program. These egg donor requirements are necessary to ensure a positive experience and a healthy baby, but are also part of the guidelines set forth by the Food and Drug Administration . The FDA oversees all donor tissue programs and requires us to ask very specific questions about your health history, sexual history, and other health related activities as part of the egg donor qualification process.
What Are The Chances Of Getting Pregnant After Egg Donation
According to research donating eggs does not affect your fertility. So you shouldnt have any problems getting pregnant after egg donation.
If you find that you are experiencing problems conceiving after egg donation, talk to your doctor. Chances are that your partner could be the one with fertility problems.
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Who Can Become An Egg Donor
There are several egg donor requirements to keep you safe and ensure that fertility patients receive the highest quality eggs. Here are two of the egg donor qualifications.
- Be age 21 to 27. Younger eggs are more likely to be healthy
- Have a body mass index of less than 26. Women in this range have more successful and safer donor cycles.
If youd like to learn more about the other requirements for egg donors, click here.
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If Youre Considering Becoming An Egg Donor Make Sure You Understand The Details
1 in 8 couples in the United States struggle to conceive. While men and women can both contribute to infertility issues, a females poor egg quality and quantity can be major factors.
While advancing reproductive age is the most common cause, women of any age may experience a decline in egg quality or quantity. Other women may have undergone medical treatments or surgeries that have negatively impacted their ovaries.
Regardless of the cause, for many women, it may be very difficult to get pregnant with their own eggs, even when using in vitro fertilization or other infertility treatments.
In addition, single or same-sex male couples also require an egg donor to have a biological child. Donated eggs are used with their sperm to create an embryo, which is carried to term by a gestational carrier, also known as a surrogate.
This is why egg donors are so important donated eggs can provide individuals with their last hope of having a biological family.
If you are considering becoming an egg donor, you have the ability to provide someone with one of the greatest gifts they will ever receive. But it is a big decision, and you should be prepared with as much information as possible before signing up.
So what should you know before donating your eggs?
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Get A Medical Evaluation
Once you have provided all the required information about yourself in the application process, the next step is to go for medical screening.
The egg donor agency you enroll with gets physician to do a physical examination which includes an ultrasound and blood test to check your potential egg count and your hormone levels.
Most agencies dont charge for any screenings and neither do they ask for insurance information. So you dont you have to deal with any costs.
The Pros And Cons Of Becoming An Egg Donor
Infertility can be devastating for couples who have long dreamed of building a family of their own. Despite a handful of treatment options available, donor eggs are often needed for women with diminished egg number or quality. Donor eggs are also used by same-sex male couples who wish to start a family.
Egg donations occur through a clinic or agency. At Methodist, we take pride in backing up the services and products we provide patients. Should an issue arise with the donor which then impacts the quality of her eggs another donor or backup would be identified for the patient. In other words, couples are never out the investment they make at Methodist.
In special cases, donor eggs may come from someone the hopeful couple knows, like a sister, relative or friend. That arrangement would lighten the financial burden for the couple and answer any unknowns about who their donation is coming from. Usually, egg donation is usually an anonymous process. The only details couples are typically given about their donors are features like height, hair and eye color, ethnicity or skin color, educational background, and personality.
With so many women in need of quality eggs, the wait list for donor eggs is extensive. Its not uncommon for a couple to wait over a year for a donation. While the demand is great, the donation process is nothing to take lightly. There are benefits to becoming an egg donor, but there are also factors that may give you some pause.
The Egg Donation Process
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Mom And Baby Will Not Be Genetically Related
Donor eggs give women the incredible possibility of being pregnant and giving birth to a baby. However, even though that baby is very much their own, its important to understand that it will not be genetically related. For example, a DNA test performed on a baby born to a heterosexual couple using donor eggs for age-related infertility would show that the child is genetically related to the father , but not the mother. This can be one of the most challenging concepts for couples to overcome with donor eggs. For this reason, fertility clinics usually require a professional psychologist session before embarking on the process.
Its common to take fertility for granted. Many of us assume that because having a baby is natural, it must also be easy. Sadly, that is not always the case. One in six couples will struggle with infertility. The good news is that innovative fertility treatments are being developed every day. Donor eggs are helping to build families that would previously have been impossible. Although it is not legal to pay for eggs in Canada, women have the option to order frozen eggs from the U.S. or have a friend or family member donate them altruistically. The battle to cure infertility is far from over, but donor eggs are a valuable addition to the list of possible treatments.
Caitlin Dunne, MD is a co-director at the Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine in Vancouver and a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia
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Accepting A Large Payout For A Specific Directed Egg Donation Isnt Always Recommended
The suggested compensation guidelines are specifically in place to make the process of egg donation not financially coercive. Michele Purcell, director of the egg donor program at Shady Grove Fertility in Maryland, discourages that practice, and says You really want to identify women that are doing it for the right reasons. And thats that theyre helping someone else while also helping themselves, and sometimes, those ads that patients may place, the emphasis is much more on the financial benefit. And you worry about situations like that, that the woman might be donating her eggs just based on the financial compensation. Then in the long run, she might regret that donation could impact her for the rest of her life.
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How Many Times Can I Donate
Generally, many egg donation agencies allow egg donors to donate up to 6 times and not more in their lifespan. Of course, you can donate more, but keep in mind that egg donation is a long process that requires time and commitment.
Furthermore, egg donation agencies do not accept a single donor to donate more than 6 times to protect the donor from potential health risks.
Compensation For Egg Donation
The typical compensation for egg donation is between $3,500 and 8,000. If an egg donor possesses certain physical, academic, religious, or cultural traits, agencies or classified ads may offer sums exceeding $15,000. Whether this practice is ethically justified is highly questionable.
It’s important that you understand that you are not being paid for your eggs, but rather, for the time and inconvenience of going through the procedures. In fact, it is illegal to receive payment in exchange for human organs or tissues.
This means that if your body produces fewer eggs than a clinic or family had hoped, your compensation should not be adjusted down. You still put in the same amount of time and effort to go through the process, which is what you are being compensated for.
While you are negotiating payment with the agency or clinic, be sure to clarify who will cover your medical expenses and any travel. This should be above and beyond what youre receiving for the egg donation time itself.
The money for your donation should be held in escrow as you go through the donor process. There should be specific dates or treatment milestones set for when you will receive portions of the payment. You should not have to just trust that you will get paid.
The payment for an egg donor comes out of the intended parents pockets. This fee isnt paid for by the fertility clinic or agency.
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Triggering Ovulation And Egg Retrieval For The Egg Donor
When the ultrasound imaging shows that the donors eggs have sufficiently developed, the donor will be instructed to trigger ovulation with an injection of hCG. Two days later, her eggs are retrieved in a short in-office procedure, called egg retrieval. While the donor is asleep , one of our physicians will use an aspiration needle, guided by ultrasound, to transvaginally retrieve the eggs. The donor will be required to take the rest of the day off to recover.
Long-distance donors who are from another part of the United States will be required to travel to our center in New York City for 3 nights and 2 days for egg retrieval.
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Its A Red Flag If The Clinic Wont Protect Your Anonymity Or Only Works With One Agency
Yes, you have to give up your personal and medical history as part of the process, but if the clinic wont protect your privacy and anonymity from any potential parents, Dr. Levine says thats a red flag. If you dont want to disclose your identity, you shouldnt feel pressured into letting the intended parent know about them. You should feel empowered to speak up, even though youre being compensated.
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