(BE)COMING AN INTENDED PARENT
CHOOSING EGG DONATION
Picking your egg donor can be an emotional, heavy and critical decision, which is why your doctor will evaluate your fertility before recommending this service. If an egg donor is a key component to your family building journey, we would love to hold your hand through the entire process.
Any egg donor candidate will be reviewed by your fertility specialist to ensure suitability from a medical standpoint, and to screen for genetic and psychological health issues so your baby will be healthy and happy. Our Egg Donor Program can help you find the perfect match for your dream family!
Using an egg donor is a wonderful service for:
- Infertile people
- Women with poor egg quality
- Genetic Issues
- Recurrent pregnancy loss
- Age related infertility
- Women with health issues that prevent them from undergoing IVF treatments
- Same-sex male couples and single males
The egg donation process
When using donated eggs, the only difference from a traditional IVF cycle is that the donor undergoes the egg retrieval instead of the intended parent. After the eggs have been fertilized and embryos are created, your IVF team will assist you in planning your embryo transfer cycle into the intended mother or a gestational carrier.
EGG DONATION PROCESS & TIMELINE FOR INTENDED PARENTS
When an Intended Parent (IP) decides to work with an Egg Donor (ED), a number of steps must be taken. On average, it can take about three to six months from choosing an egg donor to the creation of your embryos.
Step 1. Establish Care with a Fertility Clinic.
If you are already working with a fertility clinic, please let us know. If not, we are able to refer you to one of our trusted partners for fertility care. Our team will work closely with your clinic team throughout the process to ensure that you and your Egg Donor are supported every step of the way.
Step 2: Choose an Egg Donor
Finding the right Egg Donor can feel intimidating. We will assist you in finding the perfect match that meets your needs and your IVF clinics requirements.
Step 3: Semen Collection
Typically, once an Egg Donor has been selected, your clinic will work with you to acquire the sperm sample to create your embryos. They can freeze sperm samples for use at a later date or you can coordinate a fresh sample on the day of egg retrieval.
**(Note that because semen cryopreservation is an option, this step can be done at any time during the donor process).
Step 4: Egg Donor Medical Screening
Once you are matched with an Egg Donor, the Clinical Coordinator will reach out to the donor and schedule her in-person medical screening appointment with the Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE).
The donor screening process involves:
- Review of the donor’s profile and medical records, psychological assessment, and genetic risk evaluation
- A detailed medical history
- A physical/pelvic examination
- A transvaginal ultrasound to check her ovaries
- Comprehensive blood tests including infectious disease panel, hormone testing, and genetic carrier screening
- A urine drug screen
It will typically take 2-4 weeks to get all the results back. Once the results have been received, your clinic will review them and send the agency a message giving Medical Clearance to continue forward.
Step 5: Egg Donor Legal Contract
Your Case Manager will assist each party in connecting with an attorney that specializes in third party reproductive law to initiate the legal contract. You will have an attorney and your Egg Donor will have a separate attorney. This process goes as quickly as 1-2 weeks depending on the drafting time and scheduling of the consults for each side to review the contract with their attorney.
Step 6: Egg Retrieval Stimulation Cycle
The average time for the actual egg retrieval cycle ranges from 10-14 days, but each case can vary depending on the donor. This timeframe starts when the donor begins medication used for ovarian stimulation and ends with the egg retrieval procedure.
Step 7: Fertilization and Genetic Embryo Testing
The day after the eggs have been fertilized, your clinic should provide a fertilization report. The fertilized embryos will be cultured for five to seven days, and then be biopsied and sent for genetic testing if you have requested that. It takes one to two weeks for those results to come back and then you will know how many embryos you have to move forward.
FAQS
Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions we get from intended parents about egg donation. If you have any additional questions, reach out to us and we can schedule a call!
Egg donation involves using eggs from a donor to achieve pregnancy. The donated eggs are fertilized with sperm, either from a partner or a donor, and then transferred to the recipient’s uterus or a surrogate’s uterus to achieve pregnancy.
Individuals or couples who are unable to conceive using their own eggs due to factors such as infertility, genetic conditions, advanced maternal age, recurrent pregnancy loss, or premature ovarian failure may consider using an egg donor.
Egg donation often involves signing legal agreements outlining the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved, including the donor, recipient, and any resulting child(ren). It’s crucial to consult legal experts specializing in reproductive law to understand your rights and obligations before proceeding with egg donation. We will help connect you with the most appropriate legal counsel in your state.
The egg donation process typically involves several steps, including selecting a donor, synchronizing menstrual cycles between the donor and the recipient (if necessary), retrieving the donor’s eggs via a minor surgical procedure, fertilizing the eggs with sperm in the laboratory, and transferring resulting embryos to the recipient’s uterus or a surrogate’s uterus.
Success rates of egg donation can vary depending on factors such as the age and health of the donor, the quality of the recipient’s uterus, and the expertise of the fertility clinic. On average, the success rates of egg donation tend to be higher than those of traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures using the recipient’s own eggs, especially for older individuals or those with fertility challenges.
Using an egg donor can evoke a range of emotions, including gratitude, excitement, grief over the loss of genetic connection, and concerns about disclosure to offspring. It’s essential for individuals or couples considering egg donation to seek emotional support from therapists, support groups, or other resources specializing in third-party reproduction.
The cost of egg donation can vary widely depending on factors such as the donor’s compensation, agency or clinic fees, medical expenses, legal fees, and additional services such as genetic testing or psychological evaluations. It’s important to inquire about all potential costs and financial options before embarking on the egg donation process.
THE COST OF EGG DONATION
Egg Donor Program Agency Fee $12,500
- Includes access to and assistance with choosing an egg donor
- Coordination of the cycle process including, but not limited to, booking all donor travel arrangements, organizing the complication insurance, setting up the donor’s outside monitoring, coordination with the attorneys during the legal process, and supporting all parties, including the clinical team, from beginning to end.
Egg Donor Compensation Fees – vary by egg donor
Additional Donor Expenses:
- Egg Donor Psychological Assessment
- Donor Insurance
- Genetic Consultation
- Legal Fees
- Travel Expenses
- Outside Monitoring (if donor is not local to your IVF clinic)
**All Medical Expenses (testing, ultrasounds, procedures, medications, etc. will be paid directly to your IVF Clinic)
