Egg Donation Process: What to Expect

Many women look for egg donors to help them create the family they can’t because they are unable to conceive with their own eggs. There are several reasons why a woman may be unable to conceive with her eggs, including low ovarian reserve.

Some women choose to donate their eggs to help a couple start a family and earn some money as well. However, while the process can be incredibly rewarding, it can come with physical and emotional challenges and it’s important to have all the information you need before starting the process. 

Key Takeaways

• Many couples and individuals rely on egg donation to conceive a child for a variety of reasons, ranging from infertility to a desire to prevent genetic diseases.
• The egg donation process consists of extensive testing, a course of hormone treatments, and a brief, simple extraction procedure.
• A typical egg donor is someone between the ages of 21 and 31 who is in generally good health and does not have a predisposition toward inheritable diseases. 
  
  

What Is Egg Donation?

Egg donation is the process of providing your eggs to be used for fertility treatment. Egg donors can choose to donate to someone they know or to do it anonymously. The egg donation process differs from clinic to clinic, especially in terms of compensation.  

Can I be an Egg Donor?

Yes, you can be a donor as long as you meet the requirements. While each fertility clinic may have different requirements,  there are a few basic requirements expected from potential egg donors.

• You must be between the ages of 21 and 31.
• You must have excellent physical and mental health.
• You must accept to be screened and tested by the clinic, including sexually transmitted diseases screening.
• You must have a history of at least one successful pregnancy. 
• You must not have a history of hereditary/genetic diseases.

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, you must wait at least two to three months between donation cycles and can only donate a total of six total donation cycles.

Egg Donation Process

The process of donating eggs isn’t as simple as walking to a clinic and asking to do so. Several factors come into play to make sure that both you and the clinic get what they want. The egg donation process varies from clinic to clinic, but the entire process can take between two weeks and 3 months. 

Let's take a look at what you should expect. 

Donor Screening

The first step in the process is screening.  Every clinic including  Ivy Fertility will put you through a screening process to check if you are an ideal candidate for egg donation. You will be evaluated on different parameters, including your physical health, fertility, and psychological well-being. 

Tests you can expect include:

• Blood tests, including to confirm your blood type.
• An ultrasound to check  the uterus and if you have a good reserve of quality eggs to donate
• Screening for sexually transmitted diseases
• Family medical history evaluation
• Psychological evaluation
• A cervical smear test
• Genetic screening for genetic conditions and abnormalities 
  

Ovarian Stimulation

When the clinic says you’re a match, the next step will be ovarian stimulation where you’re given hormonal medications. The hormonal medication can be oral or in the form of injections. The purpose of these medications is to stimulate your ovaries so they can produce more mature eggs.

The clinic will closely monitor your eggs to make sure they are between 18 to 20 mm before they can be retrieved. 

Egg Retrieval

Before your eggs are retrieved, you’ll be given a “trigger shot” approximately 36 hours before the retrieval process can begin. During egg retrieval, you will be under general anesthesia. The whole procedure takes between 15 to 45 minutes. The procedure is done through a vaginal ultrasound, where a needle is attached to an ultrasound probe, and each follicle is burst. 

The egg is collected together with the fluid that surrounds it. This is then sent to the lab where the eggs are isolated and put in incubators to be analyzed and in some cases fertilized. In most cases, between 5 to 24 eggs will be retrieved per cycle, and this is based on the number of eggs you produce.

Recovery

After retrieval, you will be taken for recovery, where you will wake up within 10 to 15 minutes. However, the clinic will put you in a recovery room for at least an hour. After the procedure, you may face some discomfort, but the clinic will give you pain medications. For some, nausea might also occur, but it usually dissipates within a few hours. 

Is Egg Donation Safe?

Even though egg donation is considered safe, some donors do face some mild side effects from the hormone treatments and the egg retrieval process. Nevertheless, according to this study, fewer than 1 percent of people experienced complications from this procedure, and these side effects are temporary in most cases.

Side effects can look like: 

• Slight cramping
• Bleeding
• Pain or minor bruising during the hormone injection 
• Temporary weight gain due to fluid retention. 
• Bloating
• Infection
• Hot flashes
• Fatigue
• Vaginal dryness
• Sleep problems
• Body aches
• Mood swings
• Breast tenderness
• Headaches 
• Swelling

Most of these symptoms are a side effect of the hormonal medication that is given to prepare your body for the process. Additionally, some women fear donating their eggs out of fear that they’ll be unable to have children in the future. However, you can still have babies after donating your eggs.

Legal Implications of Egg Donation

Egg donation comes with legal ramifications. Both the donor and the clinic have to sign a contract. This contract usually details:

• How the donor will relate to any children born from their egg donation. Most contracts require you to relinquish any parental rights, including the right to search or know the child. 
• How much you will be paid for the donation.
• What happens if you choose to stop the process mid-way. Some clinics will find you liable, and you may have to pay back any expenses incurred so far. 

Before signing any contract, read the fine print. Ask every question you have and consult a legal professional.

Cost implications of egg donation

In most cases, the clinic will pay for medical tests and drugs related to your donation before, during, and after the donation. In most cases, the clinic also covers the cost of any complications related to injections or egg retrieval.

Bottom Line

Whether you would like to help a couple start a family or are looking for a financial incentive, you can donate your eggs to a clinic of your choice. Becoming an egg donor can be a process that comes with both monetary and emotional benefits. Outside required appointments and any potential side effects, egg donation doesn’t impact your ability to go to work or school.