Egg Donor

Egg Donor

E gg donors are defined to be the women who donates their eggs to be used by the infertile couple so as to enable them conceive . This procedure is a part of an assisted reproduction treatment.It involves the IVF technology, in which the eggs are fertilized inside the laboratory to be used by the intended couple to conceive or the unfertilized eggs are frozen to be used later in the future.

N owadays, egg donation is encouraged among the young generation. This is done so because of the sedentary life style. Due to the sedentary lifestyle we follows, the females loose their fertility at an early age of 35 yrs or even less. Females as they grow, they loose their tendency of ovarian response . Therefore, the females falling above the age of 37 yrs starts looking out for the infertility treatment if they are not able to conceive on their own.

Requirements for an egg donor

For being a potential egg donor some of the basic requirements need to be met as stated below:

  • Age should be between 21 to 29 years
  • Have regular monthly cycle of periods
  • Not affected of any reproductive disorders or abnormalities
  • Individual should be physically and emotionally healthy
  • Body Mass Index should be under 29
  • Should not be smoker, Non nicotine user
  • Individual does not have intake of drugs
  • Individual is willing to undergo medical and psychological evaluation
  • Individual is willing to commit to the process for a minimum period of 6 months
  • Individual is willing and able to respond to communication within 24 hours from the We Care Health Services
  • Individual is excited about the process of helping to build a family

Process of egg donation

The process of egg donation is basically carried out in four steps which include:

Application and intake

After doing the research and reviewing the qualifications for becoming the egg donor interested individual can register herself at WE CARE HEALTH SERVICES. After the registration , the application is scrutinized by the staff and if shortlisted, the individual is interviewed. More information and resources related to egg donation are provided to the candidate.

During this period the candidate can get one’s queries resolved. He/she will undergo psychosocial evaluations before being matched.

Matching and screening

Once donors pass the interview, they wait for intended parent. Donor commits to the medication and retrieval schedule on basis of the location and clinic of the intended parents.

Further to this, they enter into the screening phase. During screening phase, donor’s attorney will help him in understanding the laws regarding the process and terms and conditions. The donor should be aware that once the eggs are retrieved, she no longer has right to them.

Medication Cycle
Screening phase is followed by medication phase. The donor cycle begins at the start of the donor’s menstrual cycle. After 21 days, the doctor will start with a series of subcutaneous injections for the stimulation of egg maturation in the ovaries. Injections continues until approximately 36 hours before eggs are ready for retrieval. Donors are given a final injection to prepare the eggs for maturation followed by retrieval.
Egg Retrieval
Donors undergo Twilight anesthesia administered thorough IV for the retrieval procedure. A vaginal ultrasound probe is used for guiding a small needle thorough the vaginal wall to reach the ovaries and retrieve the eggs. IN actual, the retrieval takes only 30 minutes which if followed by rest for the donor.

Medication for egg donors

There are few medicines which are generally suggested to the donors in order of easy egg retrieval procedure. These are as follows:

  • Lupron
  • Ganirelix acetate
  • Follicle stimulating hormone
  • Human chorionic gonadotropin

Risks of egg donation

Although the egg donation is proven to a safe procedure but still as each coin has two faces, it has some of the risks identified. There are no long terms effects but still the short term effects and risk should be understood by the donor. The risks associated with the egg donors are as follows:

Medication Side effects
Some of the medications associated with egg donation leads to headache, moodiness, fatigue or bloating.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics involved may lead allergic reactions for some donors.
Blood drawing
With most of the needles, there is mild discomfort and risk of bruising associated with it from the blood drawing process.
Pregnancy
If after the retrieval process, the egg donor undergoes unprotected intercourse, there are higher chances of pregnancy because the medication enhances the chances of fertility.
Ultrasound guided retrieval process
After the retrieval few donors experiences physical discomfort. Serious conditions may include bleeding, infection and bowel discomfort

IS Egg donation painful?

Egg donation may be painful for some due to a small extent. Some discomfort with the procedures like retrieval process, ultrasounds, blood drawing is experienced. Some of the women’s also face mood shifts after egg donation. It is Important for the egg donors to research and consult the doctors for all sort of queries. We at We Care Health Services takes every possible check to ensure painless egg donation process for the egg donor.

What about my privacy?

We Care Health Services takes all responsibility to protect the PII data of the egg donor and the intended parent. All the information provided by the egg donor and the parents are kept confidential. Anonymity and Privacy being the concern of the intended parents and donors, it is taken very seriously.

Egg donation is rewarding as well as a tedious process to be achieved. Therefore, we at We Care Health Services take control to educate the donors about the process, so that they can take the decision if they want to donate the egg or not.