Egg donation is also known as oocyte donation. It makes pregnancy possible for women who might not  otherwise be able to get pregnant using their own eggs.
 

 

Who qualifies as a candidate for egg donation ?

 
Any woman who wants  to get pregnant can pursue the option of egg donation. However,  women who usually use egg donation are those who have significantly low egg quality.

Women with these condition are usually those who pursue donation of egg.

• premature ovarian failure or early menopause
• history of genetic disease
• extremely poor quality of egg
• hormonal imbalance
• ovaries do not respond to stimulation
• over the age of 40

What process is used for selecting egg donors ?

 
An egg donor can be a friend, family member or an anonymous person. You have to decide what qualities you  want in an egg donor.

Potential egg donors are screened for the following  :

• history of hereditary diseases or genetic disorders
• physical examination
• medical and social history
• psychological screening
• testing for sexually transmitted diseases

How is the egg donation process ?

 
During the process of egg donation :

• the donor will experience egg stimulation using  medications that a woman planing for in vitro  fertilization will use to stimulate her own ovaries
• these medications  help ovulation to occur early and also help to stimulate the production of multiple eggs in the ovary
• the donor is monitored through ultrasound and blood work to find out if her ovaries have developed
• the hormone hCG  is then given to the donor and the eggs are retrieved 2 days later

What is the process for the recipient couple ?

 
The recipient couple goes through the following :

• the recipient’s cycle will be synchronized with the donor’s cycle
• this is done by administering a two or three hormonal medications
• Lupron®  is administered shortly before your period is expected to start in order to suppress the natural cycle
• estrogen is given as soon as the period starts and changed daily until the recipient’s cycle and donor’s cycle match
• the male partner will provide semen the same day the egg is retrieved
• the egg and sperm are fertilized in the laboratory  using in vitro fertilization
• progesterone treatment begins on the day after the eggs are retrieved from the donor
• Lupron® injections are discontinued the day before the embryo transfer
• embryo transfer occurs 2 to 5 days after the eggs were initially retrieved
• a blood test is performed after 10 days to determine if pregnancy has occurred
• most donor recipients  will remain on the hormones estrogen and progesterone until about 10 weeks of pregnancy. Around this time, the placenta will be able to provide these hormonal needs on it’s own

What is the success rate of pregnancy using egg donation ?

 
The success rate for egg donation pregnancy depends on the following :

• age of egg
• retrieval process
• quality of sperm
• overall health of the women involved

 
Younger eggs are usually preferred. About 48 % of women who go through the egg donation will get pregnant. Unfortunately about 15 to 20 % of those women will miscarry .

Are there any risks associated with egg donation ?

 
It carries the same risk as in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. There is a 20 to 25 % chance that pregnancy will involve multiples. It carries the same 3 to 5% risk of birth defects just like natural pregnancy.  The medications include side effects such as

• hot flashes
• headaches
• insomnia
• feeling depressed

 
In rare cases , donors may experience  ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome which may present symptoms such as

• nausea
• vomiting
• abdominal pain
• shortness of breath

 
Call your doctor right away if you experience any of these symptoms.
 
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